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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Each year from late July through until late August, Kagawa's Sanuki Mannou Park hosts a Summer Festa event which is filled with fun summertime activities. There are around 15,000 cheerful sunflowers and 6,000 green kochia to marvel at, along with […]
Usually, an incredible 40,000 fireworks go up in smoke in a couple of hours at this mid-summer fireworks festival. However, for 2021 the organizers are running a “special type” event over 15 days with fireworks every day for 10 minutes […]
The second of the Summer fireworks events on the Nagara river, this event takes place on the first Saturday of every August. Both events are competitive displays with pyrotechnicians traveling from far and wide to show off their best designs […]
Taking place on the banks of the Yoshino River in the Shinmachi neighborhood of Gojo city, this is Nara Prefecture’s most popular fireworks festival. Not content with a mere 4,000 exploding projectiles, the organizers have added a laser light show […]
The One Love Jamaica Festival is an annual summer event that will be held in Komazawa Olympic Park and is a good time for those looking to soak up some great food, drinks, dancing, and music. Music seems to flow […]
Each month in Gyoda City dozens of locations participate in a floral water font "hanachozu" event by displaying hanachozu at their premises. The event is called the hanachozu week, but you can actually see the floral fonts for two weeks […]
Every year in early August, Miura City hosts the Miura Summer Fireworks Festival. For me, that meant a beautiful beach in glorious, sunny weather followed by 3000 fireworks launched off the ocean lighting up the night sky. It had everything […]
Does the idea of taking the stage give you cold feet? Can you imagine if your stage was a wobbly Indiana-Jones-movie suspension bridge? That suspension bridge is the stage for the taiko drummers performing in Totsukawa-Mura's Yuredaiko. The suspension bridge […]
The Kojiya Awa Odori is held along the town’s shotengai (shopping street) where roughly 600 spectators join – lined up 10 rows deep – to watch the dancers and cheer as they pass by. There are about 150 kids who […]
Oita Godo Shimbun Fireworks display is Oita City’s most popular fireworks performance. Held on the last day of the Oita Tanabata Festival - one of the largest summer festivals in the prefecture – the fireworks are a spectacular way to […]
Come summer, get ready for a flurry of adorable Pikachu in Yokohama! Expect to see lots of dancing Pikachus in parades, on water, and also light shows with entertaining digital effects. With over 2000 Pikachu mascots spread over the Minato […]
Do you like the beach? Do you like or want to experience Japanese summer festivals? Then the Morito no hama, bon dance competition/Festival is the best place to be this summer. The Experience You can enjoy great grilled and barbecue […]
There are plenty of places to enjoy cosmos flowers during the fall months in Japan, but if you're after a spot that has been named one of the country's best destinations for them, look no further than Nagano's Kurohime Plateau. […]
A ten-day event taking place in Nara, the Tokae sees thousands of candles placed in varying displays and patterns. The shapes include rivers, deer, and hearts and some lanterns are used to illuminate the structures of the area. They have […]
Tokushima Awa Odori is rated by many as Japan’s top summer festival. It takes place in Tokushima – a prefecture on the island of Shikoku. The dance festival (Odori means dance) has its origins as a summer Obon festival. ‘Awa’ […]
This is a joint fireworks festival across the Kanmon Straits between Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Kita-Kyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture. More than 1 million people on both sides of the strait are expected to watch the almost 1-hour […]
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 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 […]
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. […]
When it comes to big names in the fashion world, Louis Vuitton is right up there at the top. An exhibition running in Tokyo celebrates LV's 160-year history, and it has already delighted visitors in Wuhan (2020), Hangzhou (2021), and […]
The Minato Mirai Bon Odori Festival will once again be held in mid-August in Rinko Park, Yokohama. Looking out over the evening waters of Yokohama Bay, Rinko Park provides one of the most pleasant locations for one of Japan's most-loved […]
On August 12th, the Gochinza-kinensai Ceremony is held at Osaki Hachiman Shrine in Sendai. This mid-summer ceremony is truly a traditional ritual, on the next day, the shrine performs a Gagaku music concert as part of a memorial dedicated to […]
The small city of Yanai in Yamaguchi Prefecture is famous for its lanterns, but they're a little different from many lanterns you've likely seen in the past. The lanterns here are shaped like goldfish, and you'll see them displayed outside […]
Summer sees the staging of the annual Toro Nagashi festival in Asakusa. Originally held to pray for the souls of the deceased, the practice was rekindled in the mid-20th century. Now a strong community event, the festival sees participants releasing […]