this month in japan
August 葉月
August at a glance
- Lantern floats in the north, dancers in the south, and everyone heads home.
Weather
- Tokyo: 31°C / 24°C. The hottest month of the year.
- Kyoto: averages 28.5°C, hotter than Tokyo.
- Sapporo: 26°C / 19°C. The coolest escape on this list.
- Okinawa (Naha): 32°C / 27°C.
- Pack: the July kit, plus sunscreen. Bring a light layer for over-air-conditioned trains.
What's happening
- 11 August: Mountain Day.
- 2–7 August: Aomori Nebuta Festival. Giant illuminated paper floats, with fireworks on the last night.
- 6–8 August: Sendai Tanabata. The city's arcades are hung with streamers.
- Mid-August: Awa Odori, Tokushima. Several nights of street dancing.
- 16 August: Gozan Okuribi, Kyoto. Bonfires on five mountains send the ancestors' spirits off.
- August to September is usually the peak of typhoon season. Keep an eye on forecasts and keep plans flexible.
What's in season
- Watermelon.
- Kakigori, shaved ice, now at full strength.
- Cold soba and somen.
- Cucumbers and tomatoes, still everywhere.
The 72 seasons
| 候 | Romaji | Meaning | From c. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 涼風至 | suzukaze itaru | Cool winds blow | 8 Aug |
| 寒蝉鳴 | higurashi naku | Evening cicadas sing | 13 Aug |
| 蒙霧升降 | fukaki kiri matō | Thick fog descends | 18 Aug |
| 綿柎開 | wata no hanashibe hiraku | Cotton bolls open | 23 Aug |
| 天地始粛 | tenchi hajimete samushi | The heat starts to ease | 28 Aug |
| 禾乃登 | kokumono sunawachi minoru | Rice ripens | 2 Sep |
Crowds
Obon, in mid-August, is when much of Japan travels home for family reunions. Expect full trains and scarce rooms around the middle of the month, and book festival towns early.
psst,
If you're doing the Tohoku festivals, Nebuta and Sendai Tanabata overlap on 6–7 August. One trip covers both.