The Nitoyo Coast stretches from the southern part of Oita Prefecture to the northern part of Miyazaki Prefecture, and it's famous for one thing in particular - rock oysters. The oysters in this part of the country are nourished by […]
Metsa, comprising Metsa Village and Moomin Valley Park, is a Moomin theme park in rural Saitama. However, it can be reached from Tokyo in just over an hour by either public transport or by car. The Umbrella Sky Project is […]
Hisaizu Shrine is located in Iwatsuki Ward in Saitama City. It is known fondly as the "Quiz" shrine as the kanji (Chinese characters) for the shrine 久伊豆 can be read as "Ku - i - zu". Hence many people pray […]
The Gion Matsuri (Gion Festival) is a month-long festival that takes place in Kyoto in July each year. The name comes from the neighborhood of Gion, which is home to some of the more traditional parts of Kyoto—including the geisha […]
Each year during Japan's rainy season, Fukushima's Jupia Land Hirata is home to an impressive hydrangea festival which also coincides with a variety of colorful lilies in bloom. There are a number of paved walking paths through the grounds where […]
There's no doubt that the evolution of technology has presented new opportunities in the art world. Tokyo-based favorites like TeamLab Borderless and TeamLab Planets are just a couple of examples of immersive, technology-based art exhibitions, and this summer there will […]
In the Tone River area, every summer in just a few towns acrobats performs a curious centuries-old ritual that is sure to astound locals and visitors alike. This is Tsukumai, a rite meant to invite rains to bless agriculture. Noda […]
From Saturday, July 10th until Sunday, August 1st, Chiba's Sakura Furusato Square will host a Windmill Sunflower Garden event. Approximately 15,000 sunflowers will be in full bloom during the event dates, including the Vincent sunflower variety named after none other […]
Japan's most well-known summertime lavender fields are likely to be those at Furano in Hokkaido, but there are numerous other options to enjoy a sea of purple across the country. One such option is at Gunma's Tambara Lavender Park, which […]
The Miyagawacho Beer Garden is a rare occasion where you can enjoy beer, daily specialties served by neighboring restaurants, and Classical Japanese dance by the Maiko (apprentice geisha) of Miyagawacho Kabukai. Miyagawacho Kabukai is one of the five famous groups […]
From April 9th until September 6th, 2022, the POLA Museum of Art will host an exhibition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the venue's opening. The event will focus on new items in the museum's collection, with works on display […]
The landlocked Chinese province of Yunnan is situated in the country's southwest, and is known for its spectacular natural landscapes (think snow-capped mountains and terraced rice fields), UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Old Town of Lijiang, and being regarded […]
The summer months in Japan see several sunflower festivals pop up on the calendar, one of the best in Hokkaido's Hokuryu Sunflower Festival. The event has been running since 1987 and showcases the beauty of a staggering 2 million sunflowers […]
Bright and cheerful sunflowers are a quintessential sign of summer in Japan, and the annual Akeno Sunflower Festival boasts fields upon fields of them to enjoy. The event began in 1993, and at the venue, you'll also find a sunflower […]
In late July, the Tokyo suburb of Kagurazaka will host the annual Kagurazaka Matsuri. Famous for Kagurazaka Dori, the area's chic and pedestrian-friendly street slope, the suburb is also known for the historical Akagi Shrine, Edo period geisha houses, and […]
Japanese watermelons are known for being deliciously sweet and juicy, but also quite expensive. There's a way to minimize the expense and maximize your watermelon enjoyment, and that's by heading to the Yairo Watermelon Festival. The festival runs from late […]
The annual Haneda Matsuri, or Haneda Festival, is held on the last week of July every year. At this lively traditional summer festival, the mikoshi, or the portable shrine, is carried by 3,000 people, with more than 30,000 visitors attending. […]
Many people in Tokyo have no idea how different Hokkaido is. It is almost 200 km from Sapporo to Obihiro, the same distance as between Shizuoka and Tokyo. But instead of 20 million people and the world’s 15th biggest GDP […]