Shizuoka Festivals and Events 2026
Heads up: some links here are affiliate links. Book or buy through them and we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only point you to things we would actually use.
Shizuoka’s calendar runs on cherry blossoms, tea, and fireworks more than a single headline festival, and knowing the windows matters as much as knowing the event names. Confirm exact dates on the official sites before you book, several of these move slightly year to year.
The 2026 calendar, at a glance
| Event | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Kawazu-zakura early cherry blossoms | Feb 7-Mar 8 2026 (peak ~mid-Feb) | Kawazu, Izu Peninsula |
| Shizuoka Festival | Apr 3-5 2026 | Shizuoka City |
| Shincha new tea season | Late April-May | Across the tea-growing regions |
| Sakura-ebi fishing season (spring) | April-May | Yui/Oigawa ports |
| Atami Sea Fireworks | Roughly 15x a year, check the schedule | Atami |
| Fuji climbing season | Jul 1/10-Sep 10 2026 | Shizuoka’s 3 trails |
| Sakura-ebi fishing season (autumn) | November-December | Yui/Oigawa ports |
| Typhoon season | August-October | Prefecture-wide |
Kawazu’s early cherry blossoms, ahead of the rest of Japan
Kawazu-zakura blooms weeks before Tokyo’s more famous cherry season, the 2026 festival runs February 7 to March 8, with peak bloom typically around mid-February. It’s a genuine reason to visit the Izu Peninsula in what would otherwise be Japan’s off-season, pair it with the Nanadaru Seven Waterfalls trail nearby.
The Shizuoka Festival, the city’s own spring event
Running April 3-5, 2026 in Shizuoka City, this is the city’s main spring festival, worth timing a Shizuoka City core visit around if your trip touches early April. It sits right alongside general cherry blossom season across the rest of the prefecture.
Shincha, the new tea harvest
Late April into May is shincha season, the first flush of new green tea, and Shizuoka’s tea-growing regions run tastings and picking experiences during this window that aren’t available the rest of the year. It’s also one of the two best photo windows for Fuji City’s Obuchi Sasaba tea rows, our things-to-do guide has more on that.
Sakura-ebi, a food season worth building a trip around
Suruga Bay’s sakura-ebi, tiny cherry shrimp fished commercially nowhere else in Japan, run two short seasons: April-May and November-December, landed at Yui and Oigawa. Neither window overlaps with peak cherry blossom season, so it’s a genuine reason to visit outside spring if the timing works for your trip.
Atami’s sea fireworks, and the summer Fuji climb window
Atami runs sea fireworks roughly 15 times a year, check the current schedule before booking a trip around one specifically, dates vary. Fuji’s climbing season is short and asymmetric: the Yoshida and Subashiri trails open July 1, Fujinomiya and Gotemba open July 10, and all four close September 10, with the Shizuoka side’s three trails requiring a FUJI NAVI app registration well before the season starts.
What’s the best single month to visit Shizuoka for events?
Late April into May, it overlaps the Shizuoka Festival, shincha new tea, spring sakura-ebi, and generally the best Fuji viewing weather of the year.
Should I plan around typhoon season?
Loosely. August-October can bring disruptions to trains and ferries with little notice, it’s not a reason to avoid a trip, but it’s worth building a little flexibility into travel days during those months.
One concrete tip: if Kawazu’s early cherry blossoms are the goal, book Izu ryokan accommodation well ahead, February is otherwise a quiet month here and properties don’t expect the demand the festival brings. For the full trip plan, see the main Shizuoka guide .