Few Tokyoites look forward to June, which is usually when the rainy season ushers in the wettest time of the year. Still, don’t let the rain dampen your parade, because there’s so much to enjoy this month. Bring your brolly and head outside, because irises and hydrangeas come into their own in June, blooming bright purple and blue. Warmer weather means more opportunities to drink at beer festivals and shrine processions. And of course, if it does prove too wet, there’s always the option of going to one of the many special exhibitions at Tokyo’s museums.
Irises at Horokiri Shobukoen Garden © Zengame
7 March-15 June 2025
Event: The Art of the RAMEN Bowl
Location: 21_21 Design Sight
Time: 10:00am-7:00pm (Closed Tuesdays; open 29 April and 6 May)
Admission: ¥1600
Website: Official website (English)
Ramen has come a long way from its working-class roots. Not only do ramen shops now receive Michelin mentions on the regular, ramen bowls now merit their own art exhibitions. Curated by graphic designer Taku Satoh and writer Mari Hashimoto, the exhibition showcases 40 original works largely comprising Minio ceramics from the western Tono region. It’s a great opportunity to see a different side of the beloved noodle dish — and at the very least, the wacky designs might spark quite a few conversations with your travelling companions.
27 May-16 June 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Katsushika Iris Festival
Location: Horikiri Shobukoen Garden
Time: 8:00am-6:00pm (between festival dates)
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
It seems like the flower festivals never end in Tokyo! Head over to Horikiri Shobukoen Garden in Katsushika City for several hours of iris-viewing - around 6000 iris plants as far as the eye can see, a lush and vibrant sea of purple and green (and other colours in between). While the garden is usually open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, opening hours are extended during this period. Early bird flower photographers are sure to appreciate the additional hour of morning light. It almost goes without saying that there will also be other events during this time in the park, like live music performances. Everyone loves a good festival.
Hanazono Shrine © Photogra Fer
1 June 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Hanazono Shrine Antique Market
Location: Hanazono Shrine
Time: 6:30am-4:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
Here’s another fun reason to visit Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku: there’s a small but regular antique fair happening there almost every Sunday. The Hanazono Shrine Blue Sky Antique Fair - which is the full name in Japanese, roughly translated - is not exactly endless sprawl and shopping, since there are only 25-30 stalls maximum at any given time. Smaller items are the focus here, rather than large furniture or statement pieces.
The market runs from sunrise to sunset, though visiting in the morning is best since many stalls tend to close around 3:00pm. (Come around then for the best bargains.) Check the calendar above before you go. If it rains, expect it not to run.
1 June 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Oedo Antique Market
Location: Tokyo International Forum
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (English)
Billed as the largest outdoor antique market in Japan, the event attracts shoppers from all walks of life. There is quite literally everything and anything old here: Taisho-period glassware, ceramics, rusty coins, gorgeous jewelry, secondhand kimono ranging from dirt cheap to a few hundred dollars… Whether you’re looking for a cheap bargain or a rare gem from the 1880s, you’re sure to find something for your budget. Haggling is best very early in the morning or towards the end of the day, though you can spend the whole day browsing.
The market is closed in case of rain, but this market is held twice or thrice a month. So, if that happens, you can try your luck again on 15 and 22 June.
6-8 June 2025
Event: Torigoe Matsuri
Location: Torigoe Shrine
Time: 6:30am-9:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
The Torigoe Matsuri is a major festival in Tokyo by virtue of having the heaviest, largest omikoshi (portable shrine), weighing a jaw-dropping 4 tons. Unsurprisingly, people flock to the parade by the score just to see the huge, intricately decorated omikoshi - and the hundreds of worshippers carrying it. It’s a riotous all-day celebration, and if you can stomach the throngs of revelers, it’s a great parade to go watch.
7-8 June 2025
Event: Tokyo Pride Parade and Festival
Location: Various / Yoyogi Park
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
Same-sex marriage still isn’t legal in Japan, but the LGBTQ community in Tokyo has a rip-roaring Pride festival every year. While it historically took place in April, it’s been rescheduled to take place during Pride Month in June — perhaps also to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Pride in Japan.
The whole of June sees various LGBTQ+-themed activities throughout the whole month, but the Pride Parade and Festival will take place as usual in Yoyogi Park on the dates above. For a full lineup of all the fun, queer events, visit the official website, which will launch around February 2025.
7-9 June 2025
Event: Tsukiji Lion Dance Festival
Location: Namiyoke Inari Shrine
Time: All day (check schedule closer to the time)
Admission: Free
Website: N/A
Most visitors head to Tsukiji for the former fish market, but the small, unassuming shrine nearby hosts a very cool festival every June. What sets Namiyoke Inari Shrine’s omikoshi procession apart from other shrines is the huge lion heads bobbing alongside the portable shrines. For the main procession, they’ll set off at 9:00am on Sunday and traipse around the streets of Tsukiji before returning at 3:30pm. An extra cute bonus: Saturday sees the children’s shrine procession, which has very cute mini omikoshi carried by neighbourhood kids.
Hydrangeas in bloom © Ozma
9-16 June 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Bunkyo Ajisai Festival
Location: Hakusan Shrine
Time: All day (Closed: Mondays)
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (machine translation)
Tsuyu, or the rainy season, might spell doom and gloom for some - but this is when the hydrangea flowers (known as ajisai in Japanese) bloom pink, blue, and purple. Hydrangea festivals take place all over Tokyo throughout June, but the Bunkyo Ajisai Festival is one of the most famous, with an impressive 3000-plus hydrangea plants stretching from Hakusan Shrine all the way to Hakusan Park. Keep an eye out for hydrangeas everywhere else, too. You’re likely to spot them in gardens, parks, shrines, and temples everywhere.
15 June 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Fussa Firefly Festival
Location: Hotaru Park, Fussa
Time: 3:00pm-9:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
Traditionally speaking, June is firefly season in Japan — but in urban Tokyo? As one might expect, these sparkly bugs don’t naturally show up in the concrete-heavy metropolis anymore, so firefly festivals taking place here rely on releasing them into one’s area of choice.
To spot these shiny little insects without heading all the way into the Japanese countryside, head to Fussa – an hour west of central Tokyo – where 500 fireflies will be set loose in Hotaru Park. There’ll be food stalls and stage performances befitting summer festivals, but it’s always possible that the extra lights might make it too bright to appreciate the glowing fireflies. Still, it should be a fun evening out on the river – that alone is reason enough to go.
29 June 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Oku-Asakusa Bon Odori Festival
Location: Sumida Park, near Taito Riverside Sports Centre
Time: 2:00pm-9:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: X.com updates (Japanese)
Many Bon Odori dance festivals take place across Japan over the summer months; the Oku-Asakusa one is a relatively new affair held in a more local neighbourhood in the Asakusa district. Expect lots of food stalls, drum performances, and lots of jolly dancing around the lantern-lit scaffold by nightfall. You might even get to try your hand at netting some goldfish.
A purification water trough at Meiji Jingu Shrine © Wenjie, Zhang | A Certain Slant of Light
30 June 2025
Event: Oharae: Great Purification
Location: Meiji-jingu Shrine
Time: 2:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (English)
Much like spring-cleaning, humans also need to regularly clear out the cobwebs in our personal closets. One of the forms this takes in Japan is the Oharae, or the Great Purification Ceremony, an ancient ritual conducted twice annually at Shinto shrines across the nation. It takes place on 30 June (known as Nagoshi no Oharae, for the summer), and again on 31 December (when it’s known as Toshikoshi no harae, to herald the coming new year). It’s free and open to all at Meiji Jingu Shrine. Priests recite the prayers of purification, and cleanse you of your sins with a wand and pieces of white paper. If you’re feeling a little sinful, reeling from the aftereffects of Mercury retrograde, or just want to rid yourself of some bad juju, it wouldn’t hurt to take a gander at this.
Tokyo Events Month By Month 2025
- Tokyo Events January 2025
- Tokyo Events February 2025
- Tokyo Events March 2025
- Tokyo Events April 2025
- Tokyo Events May 2025
- Tokyo Events June 2025
- Tokyo Events July 2025
- Tokyo Events August 2025
- Tokyo Events September 2025
- Tokyo Events October 2025
- Tokyo Events November 2025
- Tokyo Events December 2025
Tokyo Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Tokyo guide
- Check Tokyo accommodation availability and pricing on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Tokyo
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Kyoto, Tokyo to Osaka and Tokyo to Hiroshima
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a Japan SIM card online for collection on arrival at Tokyo Narita or Haneda airports. Or rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- Compare airline flight prices and timings for the best Japan flight deals. Check my guides to arriving at Narita Airport and at Haneda Airport.
- If you're visiting more than one city, you might save money with a Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
