Tokyo and Saitama lantern festivals brighten summer evenings

In late July, Tokorozawa in Saitama Prefecture hosted the annual Wild-Old Hill Lantern Parade at Shōzawa Jinja, displaying over 200 traditional lanterns that illuminated the shrine grounds. Visitors enjoyed lantern‑making workshops, a flea market, food stalls, and classic carnival games such as dart‑throwing and shooting galleries.

From August 15 to 23, 2026, Odaiba’s Symbol Promenade Park in Tokyo featured a bamboo lantern festival. The event offered paid lantern‑making experiences, inflatable play equipment for children, a traditional yen‑day market, food trucks, and numerous photo‑op spots where the soft glow of bamboo lanterns contrasted with the city skyline. Both festivals combined night‑time light displays with daytime family activities, drawing large crowds seeking a seasonal, community‑focused celebration.