Complete Guide to Hiroshima's Must-See July Event: Sumiyoshi Festival, Miyajima Kangen-sai Festival, and Others
Hiroshima is a vibrant regional city where many people gather, blessed with abundant nature including seas and mountains, while also thriving in industry and commerce. In Hiroshima, history and traditions are carefully preserved and passed down through various aspects of life.
This time, we will focus on "events" among Hiroshima's various attractions and introduce them to you. We will mainly feature traditional festivals that have been passed down through generations, where you can truly feel Hiroshima's rich history.
July Features the "Sumiyoshi Festival," One of Hiroshima's Three Major Festivals
The Sumiyoshi Festival is one of the major festivals counted among Hiroshima's three great festivals, boasting over 300 years of tradition and attracting approximately 20,000 visitors over two days.
In Japan, there is a concept called "Kegare." This refers to a state where a person's inner being becomes spiritually impure, and it is believed that "Kegare" accumulates just through ordinary daily life (various theories exist).
The Sumiyoshi Festival is held in July, when half the year has passed, to remove the "Kegare" that has accumulated during the first half of the year, ensuring people can live energetically and healthily through the second half of the year without illness. Various Shinto rituals are performed for this purpose.
From here, we will introduce these rituals and the highlights of this festival in detail.
<Information>
- Dates: July 8th and 9th
- Access: 5-minute walk from Sumiyoshi Tram Stop on Hiroshima Electric Railway
- Admission: Free
- Website: http://www.sumiyoshijinja.net/summer.php
The Spectacular "Chinowa" (Grass Ring) Installed in Front of the Worship Hall
The "Chinowa" is a giant ring made of cogon grass, measuring 3 meters in diameter. This is a very ancient custom that is said to have originated approximately 1,300 years ago. It has been traditionally believed that by passing through this ring three times - left, right, then left again - the "Kegare" of mind and body is removed from the body, allowing one to return to a pure state and escape from disasters.
This "Chinowa" can be freely passed through at any time. Since you've come all the way to Japan, why not try challenging yourself with this traditional Japanese ritual? You will surely be able to live energetically and peacefully through the remaining half of the year.
"Hitogata-nagashi" (Paper Doll Floating) to Purify Sins and Pray for Good Health
This festival also features a custom called "Hitogata-nagashi." This involves transferring one's "Kegare" to a small human-shaped piece of paper that symbolizes oneself, as a substitute for one's own body.
By writing your name and age on the doll, stroking the entire body of the doll, and then breathing on it, the doll takes on your "Kegare." After that, this doll is placed on a lantern (Japanese-style lamp) and floated down the river. This is also a Shinto ritual for removing "Kegare."
A wonderful point about this festival is that it uses water-soluble paper, showing consideration for the environment.
Two-Day "Fireworks Display"
The fireworks display is also one of the highlights of the Sumiyoshi Festival, with fireworks launched at 8 PM on both days of the festival period.
After enjoying the traditional Shinto rituals, why not look up at the fireworks that color the night sky together with everyone? Looking up at the same thing together and feeling the loud sounds and vibrations of fireworks throughout your entire body is a quintessential feature of Japanese summer.
The vivid fireworks also symbolize the end of that day's festival, and feeling the poignancy and transience within their beauty is one way to enjoy Japanese festivals.
If You're Participating in the Festival, Be Sure to Enjoy the Food Stalls
Also, if you're participating in a Japanese festival, we definitely want you to enjoy the food stalls. Food stalls are an essential part of Japanese festivals, where you can taste festival foods and play mini-games.
Festival food classics include takoyaki, pineapple, fried potatoes, fried chicken, cotton candy, shaved ice, and yakisoba. We recommend both enjoying foods that are rarely eaten outside of festivals and eating familiar foods that taste ten times better in the unique festival atmosphere.
July Events Held in Easily Accessible Locations from Hiroshima Station
Itsukushima Shrine Kangen Festival
Source:Wikipedia
The Kangen ("wind and string instrument") Festival is a traditional festival with over 800 years of history. In Japan at that time, it was popular to float boats on rivers and ponds and perform ensemble music with Japanese traditional instruments on them. Itsukushima Shrine, built in the sea on Miyajima, Hiroshima's sacred island, incorporated this as a Shinto ritual.
In this event, musical instruments are performed while traveling by boat around Itsukushima Shrine and surrounding shrines for the gods.
Traditions are preserved in various aspects including the musical performance, the boats themselves, and how the boats are operated, making you feel as if you've traveled back in time. The sight of participants walking around the island carrying lanterns (Japanese lamps) after the festival is also very fantastic.
Information:
- Date: 15th day of the 6th lunar month (July 11, 2025)
- Access: 15-minute walk from Miyajima Pier
- Admission: Generally free (some paid events available)
- Website: https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/nakaku/shoukai/1027563/1007127.html
Hiroshima Port Dream Fireworks Festival
Source:Weather News
The Hiroshima Port Firework Show is a very large fireworks festival that launches 10,000 fireworks in 60 minutes.
The theme of this fireworks festival is "Fireworks Museum." Various types of fireworks are launched divided into 10 themes. The way the atmosphere in front of you completely changes at the transition between themes is like turning a corner at the entrance of an art museum, making it very exciting.
Of the 10 themes, the one I'm most looking forward to is Series 7, "Intercultural Exchange." Unique fireworks including overseas fireworks are scheduled to be launched, and I'm very excited to see how Japanese tradition and overseas fireworks will blend together.
The motif of this fireworks festival is "dreams." Please enjoy the vivid and beautiful fireworks that give you hope for the future.
Information:
- Date: July 26, 2025
- Access: 15-minute walk from Kaigandori Streetcar Stop ※Paid shuttle bus service from JR Hiroshima Station (to fireworks festival venue entrance) is planned
- Admission: Both free and paid seating available
- Website: https://www.minato-yumehanabi.com/summary/index.html
Kure Maritime Fireworks Festival
Source:Kure City Hall Facebook
The Kure Maritime Fireworks Festival is a large fireworks festival where 2,000 fireworks are launched in 30 minutes.
Kure is a city located in a coastal area where there is a Maritime Self-Defense Force base, and this festival is also held with the cooperation of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. The sight of fireworks launching against the backdrop of warships and submarines is a spectacular view that can only be seen at this festival, and it's also a landscape characteristic of Kure.
Additionally, an attractive point of this fireworks festival is that there are many fireworks that bloom large flowers individually. You can slowly savor each firework as they go up one by one at a leisurely pace.
Also on this day, the Maritime Self-Defense Force base is opened to the public for the fireworks festival. Please enjoy the special fireworks viewed from places that are normally inaccessible.
Information:
- Date: July 19, 2025
- Access: 14-minute walk from JR Kure Station
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://kure-trip.jp/events/3
If you want to tour central Hiroshima, it's also recommended to have locals guide you to must-see tourist spots
The "Hiroshima Peace (Heiwa) Walking Tour at World Heritage Sites" is a 5-hour tour that explores Hiroshima, the first city in the world where an atomic bomb was dropped.
This tour visits war sites such as the Atomic Bomb Dome and facilities like the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where you learn about the damage from the war and how residents rose up from it.
You also visit buildings and statues built with wishes for peace, including the Hiroshima Orizuru Tower, to experience Hiroshima as a "city of peace." The Hiroshima Orizuru Tower has an observation deck where you can overlook the entire Hiroshima city, where you can feel how the city of Hiroshima is developing peacefully yet strongly.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: In front of the mont-bell store near Nishi Kamiyacho Station
- Tour area: Hiroshima
- Start time: 10:00
July events worth visiting even if it takes time
In Hiroshima, attractive events are held outside the central area as well. This time, we'll introduce four events held in eastern Hiroshima Prefecture.
Around Fukuyama City
Gion Festival (Fight Mikoshi)
Source:Official website
Kyoto's Gion Festival is often mentioned as Japan's most famous festival. Actually, Gion Festivals are held throughout the country, and the one considered to be the origin is the Gion Festival in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
The main event of Fukuyama City's Gion Festival is "Fight Mikoshi," an event with more than 1,000 years of history. Mikoshi are considered to be vehicles for gods and are shaped like small houses.
In this festival, three large mikoshi weighing up to 300 kilograms appear, and everyone lifts them up and crashes the mikoshi into each other. The intense clashing, sounds, people's cheers and excitement - everything heats up intensely.
Information:
- Date: July 18-20, 2025 (Fight Mikoshi is on July 20)
- Access: From Fukuyama Station, take JR Fukuen Line bound for Fuchu to "Kamitode Station" (about 3-minute walk after getting off)
- Admission: Special seats 6,000 yen, General seats 4,000 yen
- Website: https://www.k-shinichi.com/gionmatsuri2025/
Innoshima Suigun Fireworks Festival
On the island of Innoshima floating in the Seto Inland Sea, the Innoshima Suigun Fireworks Festival represents the quintessential early summer tradition. Over approximately 30 minutes, about 3,000 colorful fireworks paint the night sky against the beautiful backdrop of the Seto Inland Sea. Since the fireworks are launched from the sea, you can enjoy the spectacular sight of fireworks reflecting on the water's surface, which is one of the festival's most recommended highlights.
Additionally, Habu shopping street hosts a night market to coincide with the festival. You can enjoy local gourmet food and souvenirs in this vibrant shopping district, so be sure to visit there before the fireworks display.
Participating in this Hiroshima Event July 2025 allows you to experience aspects of Japan beyond typical tourist destinations in this rural town, which is one of the festival's most attractive features.
Information:
- Date: July 26, 2025
- Access: Take the bus bound for "Innoshima Habu Port" from JR Onomichi Station for about 48 minutes, get off at "Innoshima Habu Port" (immediately upon arrival)
- Admission: Basic entry free (Premium seating: 5,000 yen for 1 table and 4 chairs)
- Website: https://kanko-innoshima.jp/archives/20597
Takehara City
Takehara Tanabata Festival
Source:Takehara City
The Takehara Tanabata Festival is a community-rooted celebration where you can enjoy food stalls, games, and stage shows. At the food stalls, you can savor festival cuisine including cotton candy, french fries, candy apples (whole apples covered in candy), and takoyaki. For games, you can enjoy activities like goldfish scooping (using thin paper nets to catch goldfish swimming in pools). All of these are commonly seen at Japanese festivals, allowing you to experience the authentic atmosphere of a Japanese summer festival.
Moreover, "Tanabata" is one of Japan's traditional customs where people make wishes to the stars Vega and Altair. For this purpose, people write wishes on rectangular paper strips called tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches, or decorate with colorful Japanese-style streamers. These decorations are extremely beautiful and represent one of the highlights of this Hiroshima Event July 2025.
Information:
- Date: July 5, Reiwa 7 (2025)
- Access: 1-minute walk from JR Kure Line Takehara Station
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.takeharakankou.jp/event/17008
Kinoe 17th Night Festival
Source:Dive! Hiroshima
The Kinoe 17th Night Festival is a celebration where you can enjoy various traditional, community-rooted events.
The main daytime event is the kaidenma race, a traditional Japanese boat race. Eighteen people work together to row hand-powered boats, competing for speed. Both the rowers who synchronize their strokes to the sound of drums and the cheering spectators are filled with passion and excitement.
Additionally, local children perform on traditional Japanese instruments. Watching small children carry on traditions is a heartwarming sight unique to community festivals that's very soothing.
The festival concludes with a fireworks display, where approximately 5,000 fireworks brightly illuminate the pitch-black night sky and sea.
Information:
- Date: July 26, 2025
- Access: Take high-speed boat from Takehara Port for about 20 minutes, then 10-minute walk after disembarking
- Admission: Free
- Website: http://kaidenma.jp/event/juunana.html
When You Come to Hiroshima, Fully Enjoy the Exquisite Cuisine Known Only to Locals!
The "Hiroshima Bar Hopping Food Tour" centers around Hiroshima's premier entertainment district, "Nagarekawa," visiting three different restaurants while fully enjoying Hiroshima's nighttime gourmet scene.
At the first establishment, you'll eat Okonomiyaki (a savory Japanese pancake). Okonomiyaki is Hiroshima's soul food and a popular dish among tourists. Additionally, Hiroshima is famous for its sake breweries. During this tour, as you bar-hop, please find your favorite drink.
The tour accommodates dietary restrictions and preferences including vegetarian options and allergies, making this Hiroshima Event July 2025 experience recommended for those who feel nervous about dining alone in a country where the language may be a barrier.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: Hacchobori station in front of the Gucci shop
- Tour area: Hiroshima
- Start time: 19:00
