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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
There is a myriad of great summer festivals to enjoy in Tokyo, and one of the prettiest has to be the Chidorigafuchi Moat Lantern Festival. With a history dating back to 1958, the event sees around 2000 gentle lantern lights […]
The Sumiyoshi Matsuri (festival) happens over three days in and around Osaka’s Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine. The highlight is the nagoshi harai shinji ritual which happens on a middle day. The ritual involves participants (women and children) processioning through a straw […]
Kuroishi, a town on the central Tsugaru Plain of Aomori Prefecture holds its own Nebuta festival (called Neputa in these parts) on July 30th and August 5th each year. The parade features more than 50 floats, most in the shape […]
The Kawagoe Million Lights Summer Festival is a highlight of the annual calendar in the quaint Edo period town of Kawagoe. Just thirty minutes from Ikebukuro station in Tokyo. It has been celebrated for around 150 years. It is a […]
It looks like something out of a Godzilla movie, or a fishy version of King Kong, Clash of the Titans gone wrong! Giant land-based Sea Bream up to 18 meters long and six meters high, charging and attacking each other […]