February is the month of love and friendship. It is a month where you can enjoy both winter events as well as Valentine’s day-related events. In the case of Japan, this is also true, but there are many other traditional events that take place in February.
Seasonally speaking, February is the month when winter ends and spring begins. Since Japan is such a long country from north to south, the temperature is felt pretty differently in Hokkaido compared to Okinawa. In Hokkaido, the popular snow festival is held this month. On the other hand, in Nagasaki, the Lantern festival is held in this same month. Either way, winter illumination is something that you will still see in many places.
February is also full of Valentine’s day events across the country. Most shops, restaurants, and cafes will have original chocolates or other kinds of merch available until mid-February.
Then, there are also strawberry-related events. In Japan, strawberry season is between November and May. Many hotels will offer strawberry-themed buffets between January and March. For those who love sweets, this is a good opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of strawberry desserts at fancy hotels.
Other than the above, February also has important national holidays such as ”National Foundation Day” and the Emperor’s birthday.
In this article, I will share with you our picks for the 10 best events in Japan in February 2023. I’m including events from different genres as well as locations.
1. Valentine’s Day special foods and merch
As I mentioned in the intro, February is the month for love and friendship. Many shops and restaurants will be offering original Valentine’s day menus and merch.
Genre: Food and merchandise
Dates: Until valentine’s day.
2. Japanese Landscapes Discovered: Views from and for the Outside World
The Meiji era (late 19th century to early 20th century) was a period of large and sudden cultural changes in Japan. A collection of over 200 paintings from both Japanese and foreign artists of that period are gathered in this exhibition to illustrate how things were during that era.
Genre: Art Exhibition
Location: Nagano Prefectural Art Museum (Nagano)
Dates: February 11 to April 9, 2023
3. Sapporo Snow Festival
The 73rd edition of Japan’s largest and most popular snow festival will be held from February 4 to 11.
Genre: Snow Festival
Location: Several areas within Sapporo city (Hokkaido)
Dates: February 4 to 11, 2023
4. Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival
Cherry blossoms in Kawazu City, Izu Peninsula will be in full bloom in February. Don’t miss the first chance of the year to see the frist cherry blossoms of 2023.
Genre: Cherry Blossom
Location: Kamo district (Shizuoka)
Dates: February 1 to 28, 2023
5. Nagasaki Lantern Festival
Nagasaki Lantern Festival is the biggest lantern festival in Japan, celebrating Chinese New Year with over 15,000 lanterns!
Genre: Lantern Festival
Location: Nagasaki China Town (Nagasaki)
Dates: January 22 to February 5, 2023