Okinawa loves a celebration. Throughout the year, towns and islands hold festivals rooted in the Ryukyu Kingdom, the farming and fishing calendar, and the honoring of ancestors. Many are lively, free, and open to everyone, from drum dances that fill the streets to a tug-of-war with a rope so big it set a world record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This calendar of Okinawa festivals<\/strong> and events will help you plan a trip around the celebrations you most want to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note on dates:<\/strong> many traditional events follow the lunar calendar, so their Gregorian dates change every year. Others are set by organizers annually. Always check official event pages before you book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okinawa’s deep-pink kanhizakura<\/em> cherry blossoms are the first to bloom in Japan, usually from late January into February, starting in the north. The Nago Cherry Blossom Festival<\/strong> and the festival on Mount Yae<\/strong> in Motobu are among the best known, and Nakijin Castle is especially beautiful in blossom season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In February, several Japanese professional baseball teams hold spring training on the Main Island. Fans are welcome to watch practice, and it’s a fun glimpse of Japanese sports culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From around late March into April, beaches hold umibiraki<\/em> (sea opening) ceremonies to mark the start of swimming season. March 4<\/strong> is celebrated as Sanshin Day, a play on the numbers three and four (san-shi<\/em>), with performances of Okinawa’s beloved three-stringed instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In April, families gather at their ancestral tombs for Shimi<\/strong>, cleaning the tomb, making offerings, and sharing a meal. It’s a private family occasion rather than a public festival, but you’ll notice the activity at tombs across the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From late April into early May, the fields of Ie Island<\/strong>, a short ferry ride from Motobu, bloom with white Easter lilies and many other varieties. The festival is billed as Japan’s earliest lily festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During Golden Week, the Naha Hari<\/strong> brings colorful dragon boat races to Naha. Fishing communities across Okinawa hold their own hari<\/em> or haarii<\/em> races around the fourth day of the fifth lunar month to pray for safety at sea and good catches. The Itoman Hare<\/strong> is one of the most famous, including a race in which crews deliberately capsize their boats, right them, and paddle on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n June 23<\/strong> is Okinawa’s Memorial Day, marking the end of organized fighting in the Battle of Okinawa. A memorial ceremony is held at Peace Memorial Park in Itoman. It’s a day of remembrance, not a festival. Learn more in our guide to the Battle of Okinawa<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okinawa’s Obon<\/strong> follows the lunar calendar and usually falls in August or early September. Families welcome their ancestors home for three days, and on the final evenings, neighborhood groups perform Eisa<\/strong>, a powerful dance with drums, sanshin, and chanting that sends the spirits off. Wander through residential areas in the evening and you may hear a group approaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Ishigaki and in the Yaeyama Islands, Obon brings Angama<\/strong>, in which masked performers representing ancestors from the other world visit homes, dance, and answer questions in a playful falsetto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The biggest Eisa showcase is the Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival<\/strong> in Okinawa City, held soon after Obon. Groups from across the island perform over several days, with a street parade and main performances at Koza Sports Park. In 2026 it was held in early September.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFestival Calendar at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Month<\/th> Highlights<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> January<\/td> New Year; cherry blossom festivals begin in the north<\/td><\/tr> February<\/td> Cherry blossoms; professional baseball spring camps<\/td><\/tr> March<\/td> Beach opening ceremonies begin; Sanshin Day (March 4)<\/td><\/tr> April<\/td> Shimi (Seimei-sai) family tomb gatherings; Ie Island Lily Festival begins<\/td><\/tr> May<\/td> Naha Hari dragon boat races; haarii boat races around lunar May 4<\/td><\/tr> June<\/td> Irei no Hi (Memorial Day), June 23<\/td><\/tr> July<\/td> Summer festivals and fireworks; beach events<\/td><\/tr> August<\/td> Obon and Eisa (dates follow the lunar calendar); Angama on Ishigaki<\/td><\/tr> September<\/td> Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival (often early September)<\/td><\/tr> October<\/td> Naha Great Tug-of-War<\/td><\/tr> November<\/td> Tanadui on Taketomi; autumn harvest rituals on the islands<\/td><\/tr> December<\/td> NAHA Marathon; holiday light-ups<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Winter: January and February<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cherry blossom festivals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Baseball spring camps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Spring: March to May<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Beach openings and Sanshin Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shimi (Seimei-sai)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ie Island Lily Festival<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dragon boat races (Hari and Haarii)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summer: June to September<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Irei no Hi (June 23)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Obon and Eisa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival<\/h3>\n\n\n\n