August: Things to do in and around Matsumoto

Posted on 2026.07.27 in Events

By August, most of Japan sees outdoor activities grinding to a halt as everyone waits for autumn to arrive with its relief from the summer sun.  Here in Matsumoto, however, our relatively cooler climate means there’s still plenty to do!  From Bon-Odori and fireworks festivals, to music and film, here are 9 things to try if you’re planning a trip to Matsumoto this August.

For a list of things closer to Nagano city, please see the article on our sister site, Nagano Experience, at this link.

 

Matsumoto Bon Bon

Bon Odori is a type of summertime festival that takes place all through Japan, and Matsumoto is home to one of the most incredible ones, called Matsumoto Bon Bon. This particular dancing festival dates back 51 years, but pulls from a centuries-old tradition. The Matsumoto Bon Bon is unique in that the music is projected throughout the entire city, and anyone is welcome to participate in the dancing. If you’d like to learn the traditional Bon Bon dance, you can find a tutorial on the festival’s official website. The event is free and open to the public.

  • Date: 1 August 2026
  • Time: 17:30 – 19:30 (Vehicles Prohibited from 16:50 – 19:50); see website for scheduled dance times
  • Location: Matsumoto City Center (See website for details)
  • Website: https://matsubon.com/ 

 

Starry Sky Film Festival

In Hara Village, there is a secluded outdoor movie theater that only operates for a short time in the summer. This the highest open air movie theater in all of Japan. Here, you can enjoy a movie in the cool mountain air while enjoying the nature around you. At time of writing the full film line-up has not yet been announced, but you can expect everything from box-office hits and classics (typically in English with Japanese subtitles), to the latest anime (typically in Japanese only), to smaller indie films.  

  • Date: 2 – 16 August 2026
  • Time: See website below for screening schedule
  • Location: Outdoor Stage, Yatsugatake Nature and Culture Park, Hara Village
  • Website: https://hoshizoraeiga.com/ 

 

Narai Shizume Shrine Grand Festival

This is the main festival for the main shrine of Narai-juku, an ancient and incredibly well preserved post town on the old Nakasendo trail. The day before the main festival (11th), there will be pre-festival festivities, including parades and a lantern procession in the evening. On the day of the festival (12th), local residents will dress in formal attire and make a musical performance offering at the shrine, before parading through the post town, playing traditional music along the way. This procession, which will stretch several hundred meters, will include a portable shrine, musical performances, an armored procession, and even lion dance floats!  

 

Matsumoto City Museum Nighttime Opening

For three nights in August, and an additional two nights in September, the Matsumoto City Museum will be opening its doors later in the evening, perfect for those who want to spend the day exploring the city in the daylight, and want to continue exploring after hours. The café and the shop on the first floor will also be open for this event. As well as the permanent exhibit dedicated to Matsumoto (3F), the special exhibit (2F) will also be open for the event. This time, the special exhibit is dedicated to Momoko Sakura, a manga artist best known for her long running work, Chibi Maruko-chan, which ran from 1986 until 2022, 4 years after Sakura’s death. The series was so popular that it inspired two anime series by the same name, one of which ran from 1990 to 1992, and the other which started in 1995 and is still running today. A must see for manga and anime lovers!

 

50th Happo Onsen Summer Festival in Hakuba

Hakuba is best known for its skiing and snowboarding with its abundance of great powder, but even after the snow melts it is still a great area to get out and enjoy nature!  The summer festival here is a must-see, classic Japanese summer festival. There will be a taiko drumming performance, games and events, a bon odori dance complete with traditional shamisen music, and of course a fireworks display to finish the evening.  

 

Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival

The fireworks festival at Lake Suwa is one of the largest ones in Japan. As such, people come from all over the country to catch the grand display. There will of course be fireworks lighting up the sky, but there will also be water-based “starbursts” unique to the lake. As this is a very popular event, access to the lake area does require the purchase of a ticket. Tickets range from 3,000 yen per person for the lakeside area, all the way up to private box seats for 160,000  yen, which accommodate up to 16 people. Of course, you can also view the fireworks from a bit further away for free, but will miss out on the festivities of the festival including games, food trucks, and street vendors.

 

Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival

Seiji Ozawa was a world-renowned orchestral conductor from Japan, best known for conducting the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and especially his role with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which spanned nearly 30 years. This festival, hosted by the Saito Kinen Orchestra, was established by Seiji Ozawa in 1992, and renamed after the famed conductor after his death in 2024. For the duration of the festival, musicians from all over the world will gather in Matsumoto to play with the Saito Kinen Orchestra in a wide variety of programs including symphonies, operas, and chamber music concerts.  

 

Hakuba Mountain Festival

Late August is known as being brutally hot in the bigger cities like Tokyo and Osaka, so why not escape to the cool mountains of the Northern Alps for a weekend of music? The Hakuba Mountain Festival is a multi-day music festival featuring Japanese artists from all over the country. This year, the festival will take place at the “Sky Stage,” located at an altitude of 1,400 meters (4,600 feet), making it a great place to escape the heat. Tickets are 7,900 yen for one day, and 12,000 yen for both days. There is also a significant discount for kids, making it a great weekend getaway for anyone traveling with children. While you’re here, you can also check out some of the popular activities in Hakuba, such as aerial athletics course or the giant “Yoo-hoo!” swing.  

 

Naraijuku Post-Town Walking Tour

Narai-juku is a traditional post town on the ancient Nakasendo trail, a walking path that once connected Kyoto to Edo (modern day Tokyo). As the center point of the trail, Narai was especially large, and became known as “Narai of 1,000 houses.”  The post town was designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Important Buildings, leading to it being incredibly well preserved not as a tourist-focused destination, but as a traditional town that still functions today much as it did hundreds of years ago. To truly engage with the history of Narai and soak up the culture and atmosphere, we recommend booking a guided walking tour of the area. To book with an English-speaking guide, follow the link below:

 

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