While it's usually one of Tokyo's more peaceful neighbourhoods, Kagurazaka gets a little frenetic each July, as hordes of yukata wearers and Awa Oodori dancers flood the streets for four days of traditional festivities. This year marks the festival's 50th anniversary, so the 2024 matsuri could turn out to be the biggest one the neighbourhood has ever hosted.
The festival will kick off on Wednesday July 24, where food stalls will be open from 5pm until 9pm every night. Children can partake in traditional festival games, like fishing for colourful water balloon yo-yos, while adults can register for a guided tour of Kagurazaka (¥1,000) in their yukata, or pick up a Chinese lantern plant at the market in Bishamonten (Zenkokuji) temple.
The main festivities will take place over the weekend, with a two-hour Awa Odori procession scheduled at 7pm on Friday July 26. The next day, there will be a children's Awa Odori procession from 6pm to 7pm on the main street.