The Otaru Ushio Festival, a representative summer event in Otaru, will be held for three days from July 25th (Fri) to 27th (Sun), 2025. During the festival, there will be plenty to see, including fireworks, drone shows, shionerikomi, and mikoshi parades. If you're visiting Otaru, be sure to check out the notable events in the city that you can enjoy along with the festival! Here are five recommended events in Otaru that you can enjoy along with the Ushio Festival, including a fantastic Japanese umbrella exhibition, a glass market, and a beer garden along the Otaru Canal.

The Otaru Ushio Festival, which will be held for the 59th time this year, is a major event that represents the summer in Otaru. On the first day, the festival starts with "Shio Furekomi," a parade through the city with the beating of drums on floats, announcing the start of the festival. On the second day, groups from Otaru's neighborhood associations, schools, and companies parade through the city to the tune of Ushio Ondo, "Shio Nerikomi," and on the third day, the impressive "Mikoshi Parade" is held, with mikoshi (portable shrines) undulating in the wind, and the whole of Otaru is enveloped in the excitement of the festival.

In addition, the main venue will be lined with food and festival tents, and on the final evening there will be a special drone show and fireworks to light up the night sky, making it a three-day event full of highlights for both adults and children.

▼For more information about the Otaru Ushio Festival, please see this article

5 Otaru Events You Can Enjoy Alongside the Otaru Ushio Festival

Shussemae Hiroba in Sakaimachi Shopping Street, Otaru City, is decorated with Japanese umbrellas, transforming the area into a fantastical atmosphere. The colorful umbrellas stand out against the charm of the tourist shopping street, which has a retro townscape, making this a recommended photo spot for sightseeing in Otaru at this time of year.

At night, the area is lit up, and the light shines through each umbrella, creating a different atmosphere than during the day. Enjoy a nostalgic moment while sampling food and searching for souvenirs.

The annual summer event in Otaru, the city of glass, is the Otaru Glass Market. Glass workshops from inside and outside the city gather together, and a wide variety of unique works are lined up along the tracks at the site of the former Japanese National Railways Temiya Line. You're sure to find something you like, whether it's tableware, ornaments, or accessories.

The wind chime tunnel set up in the venue is filled with wind chimes of various colors and shapes swaying in the breeze, and the cool sounds will help you forget the summer heat. This year, the event will be held at night, so why not stop by after enjoying sightseeing in Otaru or the Ushio Festival?

The beer and highball garden is held on the rooftop deck of the Otaru International Information Center Port Marche Otarue, located near the Otaru Canal, which is also the venue for the Otaru Ushio Festival. The harbor is nearby, so you can enjoy beer, whiskey, Genghis Khan, snacks, and more while looking out at the sea.

The venue also offers a party set where you can grill your own takoyaki, so you can have fun with your friends. The venue is open until 9pm, so why not spend a luxurious time watching the sunset as you finish off your fun-filled festival?

Otaru at night is enveloped in a romantic atmosphere as its historical buildings are lit up. The free "Otaru Illumination Walking Guided Tour" takes you around Otaru's tourist attractions, such as the old bank, the art village, and the canal area.

You will be guided by a local veteran guide, so even first-time visitors to Otaru can fully enjoy the festival. It is free and no reservations are required, so you can easily participate, so enjoy sightseeing in Otaru and experience a fantastical townscape that is different from the daytime.

An event where families can enjoy a cool summer in Otaru is being held at Otaru Aquarium. During the event, you can experience the coolness that is unique to Otaru Aquarium through activities such as "Splash!", where sea lions, walruses, and seals splash around in the water, and "Dolphin Splash!", where bottlenose dolphins splash around with their tails, which they use when swimming.

In addition, the Mystery Solving Aquarium 2025 will also be held, where you can walk around the aquarium and solve mysteries, making it a perfect place for a family outing or to create summer vacation memories.

*All information posted is current as of the time of article publication in July 2025. *All published information may be subject to change, so please check the official website for details.

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