If you're visiting Japan during Golden Week, there are few sights as striking as a sky filled with handmade giant kites. In Sagamihara, just outside Tokyo, one of the country's most impressive traditional events takes place each year: the Sagami Giant Kite Festival.
For 2026, the event hours each day are as follows:
May 3rd (Sunday, National Holiday) 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
May 4th (Monday, National Holiday) 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
May 5th (Tuesday, National Holiday), 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
With a history stretching back around 190 years to the Edo period, this isn't your typical local festival. The centerpiece is a massive square kite measuring about 14.5 meters across and weighing nearly a ton. It takes around 80 to 100 people working together to launch it into the sky, and when it finally rises, it becomes one of the most unforgettable sights of the season.
The tradition itself has deep roots. Kite flying in the area originally began as a way to celebrate the birth of children, later evolving into a community event symbolizing hopes for harvests, prosperity, and good fortune. Today, it continues as a cherished regional tradition passed down through generations.
The festival is held across several riverside locations along the Sagami River, where visitors can watch the giant kite take flight over open fields. Flights usually take place across a couple of days during the spring season, depending on wind conditions, which means every year feels slightly different.
Each year's kite also features a unique calligraphy title reflecting contemporary hopes and themes, adding a cultural layer to the visual spectacle. The result is a blend of art, tradition, and community spirit on a very large scale.
