
Major Events & Festivals in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
1. Yokosuka Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival)
A city-wide celebration of the cherry blossoms, featuring food stalls, live music, and traditional performances.
- Night Illumination: The festival is not just a day event, it extends into the night with beautiful illuminations
- Kanagawa Prefecture's Biggest Festival: This is one of the largest Cherry Blossom festivals in Kanagawa Prefecture, attracting a huge number of visitors
- Hundreds of Years Old Trees: The festival showcases hundreds of years old cherry blossom trees, making it a unique and picturesque experience.
2. Yokosuka Harvest Festival
A traditional harvest festival showcasing the local produce and culture, with food stalls, performances, and games.
- Authentic Local Food: Visitors can taste authentic Yokosuka dishes made from locally sourced ingredients.
- Cultural Performances: The festival features traditional dances and music performances, giving visitors a glimpse into local culture.
- Community Involvement: Local residents actively participate in the festival, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
3. Yokosuka Port Festival
A celebration of Yokosuka's rich maritime history with boat parades, seafood markets, and naval exhibits.
- Historical Naval Ships: Visitors can tour historical naval ships, including the U.S.S. MISSOURI.
- Boat Parades and Races: The festival features boat parades and races showcasing various marine activities.
- Seafood Market: A large seafood market offers a variety of fresh seafood, showcasing Yokosuka's rich maritime resources.
4. Yokosuka Tanabata Festival
A star festival celebrating the legendary meeting of the stars Vega and Altair, featuring decorative streamers and traditional performances.
- Decorative Streamers: Visitors can admire thousands of colorful streamers hanging throughout the city.
- Star-themed Performances: The festival features star-themed performances, such as star gazing and traditional dance.
- Local Cuisine: Visitors can enjoy local cuisine and sake during the festivities.
5. Yokosuka Christmas Market
A European-style Christmas market with food stalls, live music, and gift shops.
- Authentic German Food: Visitors can taste traditional German foods such as sausages, pretzels, and glühwein.
- Live Music and Entertainment: The market features live music and entertainment throughout the day and night.
- Handmade Crafts and Gifts: Visitors can shop for handmade crafts and gifts from local artisans.
6. Yokosuka Summer Festival
A summer festival featuring traditional dances, music, and food, with a focus on water activities.
- Water Activities: Visitors can enjoy various water activities such as boat races and swimming competitions.
- Traditional Performances: The festival features traditional performances, including Bon Odori dances and Taiko drumming.
- Summer Foods: Visitors can taste local summer foods such as watermelon and shaved ice.
7. Yokosuka Fireworks Festival
A fireworks festival with a stunning display over the water, accompanied by food stalls and live music.
- Stunning Display: The fireworks show is one of the most spectacular in Japan, with thousands of fireworks launched.
- Live Music and Entertainment: The festival features live music and entertainment throughout the evening.
- Food Stalls: Visitors can enjoy a variety of food stalls, selling traditional Japanese street foods.
8. Yokosuka Halloween Parade
A Halloween parade featuring elaborate costumes and floats, with live music and performances.
- Elaborate Costumes: The parade features elaborate costumes, many of which are handmade by local residents.
- Live Music and Entertainment: The festival features live music and entertainment throughout the day.
- Community Involvement: Local residents actively participate in the parade, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.
9. Yokosuka Tanabata Lantern Festival
A festival celebrating the star festival Tanabata, featuring thousands of lanterns and traditional performances.
- Thousands of Lanterns: The festival features thousands of lanterns hanging throughout the city.
- Traditional Performances: The festival features star-themed performances, such as star gazing and traditional dance.
- Local Cuisine: Visitors can enjoy local cuisine and sake during the festivities.
10. Yokosuka Whale Festival
A festival celebrating Yokosuka's rich whaling history with exhibits, food stalls, and boat tours.
- Historical Exhibits: Visitors can learn about Yokosuka's whaling history through historical exhibits.
- Boat Tours: The festival offers boat tours to see whales in their natural habitat.
- Whale-themed Foods: Visitors can taste traditional whale dishes and learn about the cultural significance of whales.
11. Yokosuka Art Festival
A festival showcasing contemporary art from local and international artists, with exhibitions, performances, and workshops.
- Contemporary Art: The festival features a wide range of contemporary art from local and international artists.
- Workshops and Talks: Visitors can participate in workshops and talks led by artists and art experts.
- Cultural Exchange: The festival promotes cultural exchange through the sharing of artistic ideas and techniques.
12. Yokosuka Food Festival
A food festival showcasing Yokosuka's rich culinary traditions with food stalls, cooking demonstrations, and workshops.
- Local Cuisine: Visitors can taste traditional Yokosuka dishes and learn about the cultural significance of each dish.
- Cooking Demonstrations: The festival features cooking demonstrations by local chefs.
- Food Workshops: Visitors can participate in food workshops, learning traditional cooking techniques.
13. Yokosuka Musical Instrument Festival
A festival showcasing a wide variety of musical instruments from around the world with performances, workshops, and exhibits.
- Worldwide Instruments: The festival features a wide variety of musical instruments from different countries.
- Performances and Workshops: Visitors can watch performances by skilled musicians and participate in workshops to learn about the instruments.
- Cultural Exchange: The festival promotes cultural exchange through the sharing of musical traditions.
14. Yokosuka Animation Festival
A festival celebrating Japanese animation with screenings, workshops, and exhibits.
- Animation Screenings: Visitors can watch screenings of popular Japanese animations.
- Workshops and Talks: Visitors can participate in workshops and talks led by animation professionals.
- Exhibits and Merchandise: The festival features exhibits showcasing the history of Japanese animation and merchandise for sale.
15. Yokosuka Jazz Festival
A jazz festival featuring performances by international and local artists, with workshops and exhibits.
- International Artists: The festival features performances by renowned international jazz artists.
- Workshops and Talks: Visitors can participate in workshops and talks led by jazz musicians.
- Jazz History Exhibits: The festival features exhibits showcasing the history of jazz music.