八月

August in Japan

Hot, loud and joyful. The great northern festivals fire up in the first week, and mid-month the whole country travels for Obon.

Weather

The hottest stretch: Tokyo 24-32°C. Tohoku and the Alps run several degrees cooler; Hokkaido is summer done right.

What's on

Aomori's Nebuta floats in early August, Tokushima's Awa Odori mid-month. Obon, around August 13-16, is family-travel peak: book or avoid.

Where to go

The Tohoku festival circuit, Kamikochi and Norikura for cool valleys, night fireworks somewhere every weekend.

On the table

Yatai festival food: yakisoba, grilled corn, ramune. Somen at home, kakigori everywhere.