murmurShimoda Black Ship Festival (Kurofune Matsuri)
Shimoda City · Central Shimoda, Shimoda Port, Shimoda Park, Ryosenji Temple and other venues
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Black Ship Festival Executive Committee (Shimoda City) · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- May 15–17, 2026 （Ended）
- 2027
- May 14–16, 2027
- Usual timing
- Usually mid May
- How the date is set
- Changes from year to year Usually a Friday-to-Sunday weekend in mid-May; dates are announced each year
- Venue
- Central Shimoda, Shimoda Port, Shimoda Park, Ryosenji Temple and other venues
- City
- Shimoda City, Shizuoka
About
Shimoda's biggest event commemorates the arrival of Commodore Perry's American squadron in 1854. It was launched in 1934 to remember the Japanese and foreign figures who helped open the port and to promote world peace and goodwill between nations. After a break during the war it resumed, and it has served as a venue for exchange between Japan and the United States ever since. The program is packed: a graveside service by the U.S. Navy for crew members of the Black Ships, a commemorative ceremony in Shimoda Park, an official parade with bands from the U.S. Seventh Fleet and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, fireworks over Shimoda Port, and a reenactment of the Shimoda treaty signing at Ryosenji Temple and other spots. A dress-up corner lends Taisho- and Showa-era kimono for walking around town, adding to the atmosphere of the port's opening days.
Sources
- OfficialBlack Ship Festival Executive Committee (Shimoda City) www.blackshipfestival.jp
- OfficialShimoda City Tourism Association www.shimoda-city.info
Last checked: Oct 11, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.