The locals call it Daimonji, the celebration during the height of the O-bon festival where the city’s surrounding mountains are lit up with five bonfires. Three of the bonfires are lit in the form of Kanji, while the other two […]
Earth Celebration is a superb three-day taiko and music festival on Sado Island where Kodo (legendary taiko drums troupe) holds open-air concerts, holds taiko workshops, and invites other musicians to collaborate on stage. Sado Island, located off the coast of […]
In late August, there was an illumination event called, 'Echizen Asakura Mantoya' at Ichijodani Asakusa Ruins in Fukui City. This event has been held for ten years now, and in it thousands of candles are lit up to illuminate the […]
Whether one hails from the States and misses good ol' American burgers, or if one simply is curious as to how a day can be dedicated to American culture out in rural Japan, American Day is a great way to […]
Transportation is essential in our day-to-day lives, and this has been the case throughout history. During the Edo period in Japan, various methods of transport were utilized including people power, horses, and ships, with the latter having particular significance in […]
Kimono are an important part of Japanese culture, and the upcoming Kimono Expo in Tokyo allows visitors to experience the splendor of these traditional garments in a variety of unique ways. The event will include talks about kimono-related topics from […]
Tokyo's oldest temple, Senso-ji in Asakusa, holds an annual three-day fair called Hagoita-Ichi to sell good luck ornamental bats, called hagoita in Japanese. Dating back to Edo times, the festival takes place in front of Sensoji. From December 17th to […]
Hatsumode is the practice of the first religious worship of the year. It is typically associated with the first visit to a shrine, but some people prefer to worship at a temple. The temple at the Ushiku big Buddha, known […]
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 hanachozu week, but you can actually see the floral fonts for two weeks each […]
Kanasana Shrine is a 1900-year-old shrine in Saitama. It is a unique shrine in that it venerates the mountain rather than a religious artifact like most other shrines. The shrine is located in the mountain town of Kamikawa in Saitama […]
The Hanamaki Souminsai is held every year on January 2nd at the Koshio shrine on Mount Koshio. It's a purification festival for the new year, it starts by making mochi (rice cake) and getting blessings from the local Shinto priest. […]
A daruma doll is a hollow wooden round-shaped face with a beard. Most commonly they are red in color. When bought new, they have no eyes painted in. You paint one eye on receiving or buying the doll while making […]