As rainy season begins to dry out in Tokyo, your family is probably ready to get outside and enjoy the many exciting things the city has to offer. And there is no shortage of them this time of year! The number of matsuri, fireworks festivals, holiday celebrations, and more can be overwhelming. Lucky for you, the CareFinder Team has done the legwork and rounded up a list of upcoming family-friendly events and activities that we're looking forward to most — and think your family will enjoy, as well!

Be careful out there, though: July and August can be hot and humid months in Tokyo. Heat stroke and dehydration, especially for the young, the elderly, and the immunocompromised, are very real concerns. Check out our article on "Beating the Tokyo Heat" in the summer here.

First thing's first: Fireworks

This year is the first we've seen since the start of the pandemic when it seems like most of the annual fireworks festivals are on! We're excited to pack in as much pyrotechnics as our calendar will allow; click through for more information on each of the below to get your family's schedule set!

These are the festivals explicitly dedicated to fireworks. Plenty of other festivals also feature fireworks; keep scrolling to learn more about those!

Adachi Fireworks Festival: July 22

Katsushika Fireworks Festival: July 25

Showa Kinen Fireworks Festival: July 29

Hachioji Fireworks Festival: July 29

Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival: July 29 (Historically, this one draws massive crowds — even for Tokyo. We suggest checking out one of the others on this night if that's not your family's thing!)

Edogawa Fireworks Festival: August 5

Ome City Nohryo Fireworks Festival: August 5

Itabashi Fireworks Festival: August 5

Koto Fireworks Festival: August 11

Meiji Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival: August 12

There are too many matsuri!

Not joking! Between the seasonal events, holiday celebrations, and product-specific bazaars, there are so many matsuri in Tokyo in July and August. We've organized them into subgroups for easier navigation.

Celebrate Summer

Enoshima Tenno Festival: July 9 - 14

Setagaya Firefly Festival: July 15 & 16

Shinjuku Eisa Festival: July 29

Hakone Summer Festival: July 31 - August 5

Chofu Yosakoi: August 26

Azabu Juban Festival: August 26 & 27

Yoga Summer Festival: August 26 & 27

Harajuku Omotesando Super Yosakoi: August 26 & 27

Tanabata

Fussa: July 5-9

Shitamachi: July 6-10

Shonan Hiratsuka: July 7-9

Asagaya: August 4-8

Obon

Nakano: July 17

Kagurazaka: July 26 - 29

Ebisu: July 28 & 29

Shimokitazawa: August 5 & 6

Minato Mirai: August 12 & 13

Hibiya: August 25 & 26

Koenji: August 26 & 27

Other!

Earth Garden Summer Festival: July 1 & 2

Ocean Peoples Tokyo: July 8 & 9

Nakaita Belly Button Festival: July 9

Handmade in Japan Summer Fes: July 22 & 23

Summer Comiket: August 12 & 13

Akishima Citizens Whale Festival: August 26 & 27

Maybe hire a sitter for these...

Of course you want to enjoy these summer months with your children. But there's no harm in enjoying some grown-up time, too!

More than Music: Summer Breeze: July 1

There's no better excuse for a beach vacay than live music, DJs, good food and drink, and Zushi beach as your backdrop.

Hibiya Summer Oktoberfest: July 7-17

We think summer is a much better time to celebrate German food and beverage than fall, anyway!

Red Brick Beach Island 2023: July 27-29

Pretend you're in Thailand at this Yokohama "beach" event. Plus enjoy all the Thai-inspired cuisine (and spice!) your stomach can handle

Fuji Rock: July 28-30

Tickets may be hard to come by — and not at all cheap — but it's worth it to see some of the world's biggest acts (Lizzo, anyone?) rock out in the woods of Japan.