Summer is festival season in Japan, with events ranging from village picnics to Kyoto’s thousand-strong parades. Yosano’s summer festival falls in August, but there are various events held in all of the towns of the Tango region. (The season culminates in what is arguably the most spectacular festival of all in Miyazu, where thousands of lanterns are set off into Miyazu bay and fireworks light up Amanohashidate.) Traditions differ from town to town, but there is always a chance to see fireworks, enjoy the (slightly) cooler nighttime temperatures, and indulge in some festival food. Favourites include takoyaki (pancakes filled with octopus), taiyaki (fish shaped pancakes with a sweet custard or red bean filling), and dango (mochi-like balls covered in sweet sauce). A festival, then, for both the eyes and the stomach.