Otaru's signature summer event, the Otaru Ushio Festival, 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, Ushio Nerikomi (a traditional Japanese craft), and a portable shrine parade. If you're visiting Otaru, be sure to check out the other notable events in the city that you can enjoy along with the festival! Here are five recommended events in Otaru that you can enjoy alongside the Ushio Festival, including a fantastical Japanese umbrella exhibition, a glass market, and a beer garden along the Otaru Canal.

Now in its 59th year, the Otaru Ushio Festival is a major summer event in Otaru. On the first day, the festival kicks off with a parade through the city on floats beating drums, signaling the start of the festival with the "Ushio Furekomi" ceremony. On the second day, groups from Otaru's neighborhood associations, schools, and businesses parade through the city to the tune of Ushio Ondo music in the "Ushio Nerikomi" ceremony, and on the third day, the entire city is engulfed in the excitement of the festival with the impressive "Mikoshi Parade" featuring undulating portable shrines.

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

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

5 Otaru Events to Enjoy Alongside the Otaru Ushio Festival

Shussemae Square in Sakaimachi Shopping Street, Otaru City, is decorated with Japanese umbrellas, creating a fantastical atmosphere. The colorful umbrellas stand out against the charming retro streetscape of this tourist shopping street, making it 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 shopping for souvenirs.

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

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

The Beer & 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. With the port nearby, 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 friends. The venue is open until 9 pm, 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 historic buildings are lit up. The free "Otaru Light-Up Walking Guided Tour" takes you around Otaru's tourist attractions, including 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 event. It is free and no reservations are required, so you can easily participate, and enjoy sightseeing in Otaru, where the cityscape is different from the daytime and a mystical atmosphere, along with the festival.

Otaru Aquarium is currently hosting an event where families can enjoy a cool summer in Otaru. During the event, you can experience the unique coolness of 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.

There will also be an event called "Mystery Solving Aquarium 2025" where you can walk around the aquarium and solve mysteries, making it the perfect place for a family outing or to create some summer vacation memories.

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