SENDAI traveling information | Event information, Annual Events and Festivals

Information about Annual Events and Festivals

The five grand festivals of Sendai are Sendai Aoba-matsuri Festival, Sendai Tanabata Festival, Jozenji Street Jazz Festival, Michinoku YOSAKOI Festival, and SENDAI Pageant of Starlight. Other events are also held, from traditional to contemporary and these color the city throughout the year.

The Four Seasons of Miyagi

Please enjoy the charm that the four seasons of Miyagi have to offer.
Videos are available by accessing "details" and then by clicking on the photos.

Sendai Aoba-matsuri Festival

This is one of the most famous festivals in castle town Sendai, representing the coming of Spring. The special-feature event on Saturday evening (Yoi-matsuri, or Festival-Eve event) is the "Suzume-odori (sparrow dance) Contest", open to the public for participation. This adds to the atmosphere of the festival and it is encouraged for people to try the suzume dance for themselves!
→For images of Sendai Aoba-matsuri Festival

[Festival period] the 3rd Sunday and the day before (Saturday) of every May

Sendai Tanabata Festival

This festival represents summer in Sendai where washi-paper is strung on bamboo branches. More than 1,500 decorative bamboo branches, streamers and settings of mechanical dolls form tunnels over the shopping arcades.
→ For images of Sendai Tanabata Festival

[Festival period] August 6-8, every year

Jozenji StreetJazz Festival

Besides Aoba-dori (Avenue), Jozenji-dori (Avenue) is famous for its Keyaki-namiki (row of Zelkova trees), a symbol of the "City of Trees". The surrounding areas of Jozenji-dori such as building entrances, mini-parks, greenbelts, and parks are turned into special stages for the two-days of performances.
→For images of Jozenji Street Jazz Festival

[Festival period] the 2nd Saturday and Sunday of September, every year

Michinoku YOSAKOI Festival

The basic rule of dancing for this festival is you must dance with clappers on your hands to music partly composed of local folk songs. The costumes and design of the dances are all up to the participants and unique musical arrangements from folk music to vibrant rock music are used.
→For images of Michinoku YOSAKOI Festival

[Festival period] Middle of October, every year

SENDAI Pageant of Starlight

When the cold winds of winter begin, one event that the locals of Sendai look forward to is the "SENDAI Pageant of Starlight". This event was started by citizen-volunteers and is well known all over the country as a special winter time event.
→For images of SENDAI Pageant of Starlight

[Festival period] December 12-31, every year