1 The 77th Obihiro Heigen Festival: The Largest Summer Festival in the Tokachi Area (Obihiro City)

Image source: Obihiro Tourist & Convention Association

The largest summer festival in the Tokachi area will be held in Obihiro. On the first day, local youth will lead the charge with "Yumefuriyo 2024," a parade of male and female mikoshi (portable shrines) through the venue. On the second day, the Heigen Taiko Festival will bring together taiko drumming teams from all over Hokkaido.

Image source: Obihiro Tourist & Convention Association

On the evening of the second day, the "Obihiro Bon Odori" will liven up the festival night, with teams dancing to the live performance of the Hokkai Bon Uta song in elaborate costumes. Other planned events include performances by world-renowned street performers and the "Kitchen Heigen" gourmet plaza, featuring various food stalls, kitchen cars, and drink booths.

2 The 51st Iwanai Dotō Festival: A Spectacular Fireworks Display at Iwanai Port (Iwanai Town)

Image source: Iwanai Town

This is a summer tradition that has been held in Iwanai Town for half a century. The festival's highlight, the "Dotō Fireworks Display," features about 5,000 fireworks that beautifully color the Iwanai night sky. The fireworks launched with thunderous power over Iwanai Port are a truly powerful sight.

Image source: Iwanai Town

Additionally, there will be live stage performances, magic shows, and performances by the Iwanai High School calligraphy club, brass band, and taiko drumming club. The venue will also feature a food stall village, kitchen car booths, a flea market, and a children's fair corner, providing entertainment for all ages.

3 2024 Nemuro Crab Festival: Savor Nemuro's Hanasaki Crab (Nemuro City)

Image source: Nemuro City Tourism Association

This event is a celebration of Nemuro's local flavors. In addition to direct sales of crab, the venue will offer various crab dishes and other gourmet foods available only at the festival. There will also be stage performances featuring local folk arts and music shows, as well as participatory events like the "Crab Catching Battle! Speed-Eating Contest," allowing visitors to fully enjoy the local specialty, Hanasaki crab.

4 Numata Yotaka Andon Festival: Hokkaido's Only "Fighting Lantern" Festival (Numata Town)

Image source: Numata Yotaka Andon Festival

The "Yotaka Andon Festival" is one of Hokkaido's three great lantern festivals and the only one in the prefecture to feature "kenka andon" (fighting floats), where large lantern floats are crashed into each other. The sight of these massive floats, measuring 7 meters high, 12 meters long, and weighing 5 tons, colliding is truly spectacular.

Image source: Hokkaido Tourism Organization

The festival atmosphere is further enhanced by the sounds of taiko drums, flutes, and Yotaka-bushi festival music. In addition to the clashes, the dazzling sight of the lantern floats parading through the town is a must-see.

5 Kotoni Marche: A Theater Filled with Gourmet Food and Handmade Goods (Sapporo City)

Image source: NPO Concarino

The "Kotoni Marche," which started last year, is back and has been upgraded to a two-day event. A wide variety of shops will participate, selling everything from vegetables and sweets to handmade crafts, and there will even be a health consultation booth. It's an "anything-goes theater market" held in a theater, also featuring kids' art experiences, mini-stage performances, and a street piano.

6 Mikasa Hokkai Bon Odori: Dance Around a Giant Tower (Mikasa City)

Image source: Mikasa City

This is a major summer event representing Mikasa. Held over three days in Mikasa, the birthplace of the "Hokkai Bon Uta" song, the festival features a variety of attractions. In addition to the Bon Odori dance, there's the event's traditional "Coal Carrying Race," where contestants compete while carrying 30kg of coal, as well as Mikasa Bon Lanterns and stage shows. A fireworks display on the final day concludes the exciting three-day event.

7 The 43rd Shikabe Sea and Hot Spring (Ideyu) Festival & Fireworks Display: Southern Hokkaido's Largest Fireworks in a Hot Spring Town (Shikabe Town)

Image source: Shikabe Town

This is the largest festival in Shikabe Town, held right next to the fishing port. There are plenty of sea-related events, including a heated "cutter boat race" in the harbor and a "touch pool aquarium" where you can see and touch marine life.

Image source: Shikabe Town

The festival's climax is one of the largest fireworks displays in Southern Hokkaido. Approximately 3,400 diverse fireworks and extra-large starmines beautifully illuminate Uchiura Bay, captivating numerous spectators every year. The fireworks are launched right in front of the fishing port venue, making for a powerful and immersive experience.

8 The 27th Kenbuchi Sakuraoka Lake Festival: Don't Miss the Fireworks Reflecting on the Lake (Kenbuchi Town)

Image source: Kenbuchi Town Tourism Association

This festival is held on the shores of Lake Sakuraoka, a popular spot for camping and smelt fishing. A variety of stage events are planned, including cheerleading performances, stage shows featuring enka singers, idols, and comedians, as well as Yosakoi Soran dancing, Kenbuchi Tonden Taiko drumming, and belly dancing.

Image source: Kenbuchi Town Tourism Association

There will also be picture book readings, fitting for "Kenbuchi, the Town of Picture Books," and gourmet food stalls from local and neighboring areas. The beautiful sight of the fireworks display that concludes the festival reflecting on the lake's surface is not to be missed.

9 GIGA Festival in Sapporo International University: A Workshop to See, Touch, and Feel the Future (Sapporo City)

Image source: GIGA Festival in Sapporo International University

A workshop for everyone from young children to adults will be held at Sapporo International University. It will feature e-sports, the metaverse, and drone experiences, as well as programming, generative AI, and AR. There will also be a library-based mystery-solving game. Families can enjoy workshops that offer a glimpse into the future.

10 Uni Uni Festival: A Luxurious Sea Urchin Experience (Rishirifuji Town)

Image source: Rishipura (Rishiri Island Tourism Portal Site)

This event is dedicated to sea urchin, a specialty of Rishirifuji Town. The food and drink corner will offer a variety of gourmet dishes that allow you to savor sea urchin in luxurious and delicious ways, such as grilled sea urchin and mini sea urchin rice bowls. A sea urchin speed-eating contest will also be held on stage.

11 The 28th Honbetsu Kirameki Town Festival 2024: The Main Attraction is the Up-Close View of 6,000 Fireworks (Honbetsu Town)

Image source: Honbetsu Town

This event is extremely popular for its "Higashi Tokachi Fireworks Display," which features as many as 6,000 fireworks. A wide variety of fireworks are launched rhythmically in time with music. The biggest appeal of the Higashi Tokachi Fireworks Display is the close proximity of the launch site and the unobstructed view.

Image source: Honbetsu Town

In addition to the fireworks, there will be a gourmet food market and music shows. The venue, the Toshibetsu Riverbed, is covered in grass, and visitors can set up picnic sheets and compact sunshades. Chairs and tables are also provided, so you can relax and enjoy the event.

12 The 25th Naganuma Maoi Yume Festival: A Heated Tractor-Pulling Competition (Naganuma Town)

Image source: Naganuma Town

This is a major event held in Naganuma Town, located about an hour from Sapporo. Events include the "Strong Cup," a tractor-pulling race where teams of three compete for the best time; the "Zukiiin Cup," a shaved ice speed-eating contest (named after the Japanese onomatopoeia for brain freeze); and a stamp rally-style bingo tournament. A new addition this year is a BBQ corner where you can enjoy the local specialty, Genghis Khan (Mongolian barbecue). With stage events, food stalls, and tractor ride experiences, it's a festival the whole family can enjoy.

13 Ikebana Sogetsu Flower LIVE IN SAPPORO: Experience Free and Creative Flower Arranging Up Close (Sapporo City)

Image source: Ikebana Sogetsu Sapporo Flower LIVE Group

This is an event where you can casually experience ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement). Under the motto "Anytime, anywhere, by anyone," the Ikebana Sogetsu Sapporo Flower LIVE Group will hold a live flower arranging demonstration. You can experience the charm of free and creative ikebana.

14 The 40th Higashikawa International Photo Festival: A Hands-On Event in the Town of Photography (Higashikawa Town)

Image source: Higashikawa Photo Fiesta Executive Committee

This is a unique event in Higashikawa, known as the "Town of Photography." With the concept of "Enjoying Photography," numerous photo-related initiatives will be held, including photo exhibitions like the "Exhibition of Works by the Higashikawa Award Winners," as well as the "Street Gallery," "Photo Independence Exhibition," and "Public Portfolio Review."

15 The 6th Children's Art Brut Hokkaido Mirai Exhibition: A Collection of Works by Children (Sapporo City)

Image source: Hokkaido Cultural Organizations Council

Under the theme "The future of art where children with and without disabilities can shine freely in the same space," this art exhibition features works submitted by elementary and junior high school students from compulsory education schools, secondary schools, and special needs schools. The venue will be filled with works created by children. Furthermore, for the first time this year, a "WEB Exhibition" is planned, allowing the works to be viewed online.