Annual guide to events and festivals in Nagato City! Fireworks and Firefly Festival with spectacular views!

Nagato City is known as one of the most natural and cultural areas in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Many events can be enjoyed throughout the four seasons, such as cherry blossoms in spring, fireworks displays in summer, autumn leaves in fall, and illumination in winter, allowing visitors to enjoy different attractions in each season.

This article presents a list of Nagato City's annual events scheduled to be held in 2026.

We have also compiled a list of seasonal highlights, so if you are considering a trip, please take a look.

Many events and festivals are held in Nagato City

A wide variety of events and festivals are held throughout the year in Nagato City, allowing visitors to enjoy local traditional culture and natural attractions close at hand.

The charm of this area is that it changes with the seasons: in spring, the theme is cherry blossoms and the bounty of the sea; in summer, fireworks displays and nighttime events to view fireflies; in fall, autumn foliage and food; and in winter, events that take advantage of the hot spring baths.

It is an important event for both tourists and locals, creating a lively atmosphere and interaction in the city, and each time you visit, you will discover a new aspect of Nagato City.

Annual Guide to Events and Festivals in Nagato City (Preserved Edition for 2026)

Here we introduce six carefully selected popular events and festivals held in Nagato City every year.

The features of each event are summarized in an easy-to-understand manner, so if there is an event that interests you, please refer to it when incorporating it into your future travel plans.

Fukagawa Myoken Minato Festival / Minato Ma

The Fukagawa Myoken Minato Festival is a festival with a strong local flavor held every year in May during the GW at the Minato Fish Market in Nagato City. Many unique events are held, including a Shinto ritual to pray for a big catch, a parade of fishing boats, a market of local delicacies, a children's sumo tournament, and a women's butt wrestling tournament.

In addition, the flea market "Minato-Ma," newly introduced in 2025, will be filled with a variety of stalls and a bustling atmosphere.

Free parking is available, and the event is well known as an annual spring event that can be easily enjoyed by the whole family.

Tawarayama Firefly Festival

The Tawarayama Hotaru Festival is held annually in early June near the Yamane Stadium Tawarayama, near Tawarayama Onsen.

In addition to gourmet food stalls run by local residents, the venue also features handmade stage shows and a bazaar, providing an at-home atmosphere.

For the main firefly viewing, a free shuttle bus runs to Nanae River Park, where visitors can enjoy the natural spectacle of countless fireflies dancing in the air.

Kayoi Whale Festival

The Tong Whale Festival is a traditional festival held annually from mid to late July in the Tong area of Qinghai Island.

The Dori area flourished as a base for old-fashioned whaling using harpoons and nets during the Edo period (1603-1868). At this event, a whale-shaped boat will be used to reenact the old whaling method. The "whale team" wearing red loincloths chases the whales in a rowing boat and finishes them off by harpooning and climbing on them. In the latter half of the ceremony, a traditional "whale song" is performed to express the mourning for the whales. This is a festival that you should definitely see at least once, as it is the only place in Japan where you can see such a spectacular scene.

Nagato Fireworks Festival (Fireworks festivals in Nagano Prefecture)

The Nagato Fireworks Festival is a summer tradition held annually around July 20 at the Minato Fish Market in Nagato City.

Approximately 3,000 fireworks are launched from a barge floating among the waves, and combined with the light reflected on the water, the fireworks create a fantastic sight.

The venue will also feature gourmet booths with food stalls led by local food and beverage associations, and will be crowded with many local residents and tourists in the evening.

It is also easily accessible to visitors by public transportation, just a 10-minute walk from Nagato City Station.

West Japan Yakitori Festival/Yakitori JAPAN Festival in Nagato

The West Japan Yakitori Festival is a gourmet event held annually in mid-September at the Minato Fish Market in Nagato City.

In Nagato, a sacred place for yakitori, one of Japan's six major yakitori towns, famous local yakitori restaurants from all over western Japan will gather to offer their unique flavors.

In addition to tasting local ingredients such as Choshu chicken and Choshu black kashirawa, visitors can experience the depth of yakitori itself by comparing it with yakitori from other regions, making it a particularly good choice for gourmet lovers.

Shuttle buses are available from parking lots near the venue and nearby shopping stores to make your visit more comfortable.

Note that every few years, the festival will be held as "Yakitori Japan Festival in Nagato," where the stalls will expand to a nationwide scale in Japan.

Onshin River Uta Akari

Otoshinagawa Utaakari " is a winter lighting event held annually from mid-January to early March in Nagato Yumoto Onsen.

Lights designed around the theme of the world of the poem by children's poet Misuzu Kaneko will be illuminated in various parts of the hot spring resort.

From 2025, "Utaakari Noel" will also be introduced to coincide with the Christmas season (from early December to the 25th), and together they are gaining recognition as a major winter event.

If you visit Nagato with an overnight stay included, you will be able to enjoy Nagato in winter even more deeply.

What is the website where you can research information on events and festivals in Nagato City?

Here are four websites where you can research information on events and festivals in Nagato City.

Use the following sites to efficiently obtain information on events and festivals to enhance your travel plans to Nagato.

Nagato City Tourism Site "Nanavi

Nanavi " is the official tourist information site of Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture (the site you are viewing now).

The site offers a wide range of information on events and festivals that can be enjoyed throughout the year, as well as information on sightseeing spots, gourmet food, and accommodations.

Featuring features for each of the four seasons, as well as beautiful photos of famous places, including Nagato Yumoto Onsen, this is an excellent source of information for trip planning.

The site also features event reports and the latest news, so it's useful when you want to know what's going on at Nagato.

Nagato Yumoto Onsen Official Tourism Site

Nagato Yumoto Onsen Official Tourist Site " is the official tourist information site for Nagato Yumoto Onsen.

The site also features information on events, accommodations, and gourmet cuisine in the hot spring resort area, as well as various community development activities undertaken by local residents.

Welcome to Yamaguchi!

Oideimasimasen Yamaguchi " is the official sightseeing and travel information site of Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The latest information on events, festivals, sightseeing spots, and gourmet food in Nagato City and other parts of the prefecture.

There are also feature articles and model courses, and events held in Nagato City, such as the Nagato Fireworks Festival and the Onshin River Utaakari, are introduced in detail.

The site also provides information on lodging and access, making it a convenient entry point for planning a trip to Yamaguchi.

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO ) is a government-affiliated website that provides tourist information on various regions of Japan in multiple languages for foreign visitors to Japan.

Information on events and festivals in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Nagato City is also available, and is used as an entry point for travelers from overseas to experience the charms of the region.

In particular, features such as "Recommended Small Cities in Japan" showcase the charms of regional cities like Nagato City to the world.

The content also reflects the latest trends in inbound travel.

The charms of Nagato City are introduced season by season.

The key to fully enjoying the events and festivals of Nagato City is to pay attention to the seasonal attractions.

Here are some easy-to-understand ways to enjoy the four seasons and recommended events.

We hope you will take a look at the seasonally changing face of Nagato City and use it as a hint for your trip.

spring

Spring in Nagato City is a season full of charm, with cherry blossoms, fresh greenery, and spectacular views of the sea and mountains.

Cherry blossoms are easily enjoyed at Nagato Yumoto Onsen and Daneiji Temple, and other scenic spots such as Motonosumi Shrine, Senjashiki, and Higashi Gohata terraced rice fields offer beautiful spring scenery.

summer

Summer in Nagato City is a season of beautiful sea, nature, and unique summer events.

In addition to scenic spots such as Qinghai Island, visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as swimming and camping. The roadside station where you can taste fresh fish from Senzaki Fishing Port and the popular "Nagatrip" hands-on program will make your trip even more enjoyable.

Fireworks festivals and regional festivals, a summer tradition, will be held in various locations, creating an unforgettable summer of harmony between gourmet food, nature, and culture.

autumn

Autumn in Nagato City is a season of charm, with beautiful autumn leaves, abundant nature, hot springs, and gourmet food.

At autumn foliage spots such as Daneiji Temple, Sainenji Temple, and the Nagato Yumoto hot spring resort area, brightly colored trees soothe the hearts of visitors.

Seasonal events such as the "Autumn Leaves Sleeping Bar" are held at Nagato Yumoto Onsen, where you can enjoy a relaxing time while admiring the quaint scenery.

The roadside stations and hot spring resorts offer an abundance of seasonal delicacies, and visitors can enjoy an autumn trip that will satisfy both body and soul.

winter

Winter in Nagato City is a season of hot springs and fantastic lights.

At Nagato Yumoto Onsen, "Onshin River Utaakari" will be held and poetic lights will illuminate the hot spring resort.

Historic therapeutic baths such as Tawarayama Onsen and Aburaya Bay Onsen are also scattered throughout the area, warming cold bodies from the core.

A winter trip in the quiet, elegant townscape and warm hospitality will gently soothe your soul.

summary

This article introduced some of Nagato City's annual events.

Nagato City is an area full of charm, where visitors can enjoy a variety of events and festivals as the seasons change.

Each season offers a different experience: the bustle of spring, the fantastic spectacle of fireworks and fireflies in summer, the deepening of tastes and culture in autumn, and the hot springs and lights of winter.

As a preserved guide that can be used as a reference for travel planning and weekend excursions, why not enjoy a more fulfilling trip by experiencing Nagato City's fascinating year?