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 […]
For 2022 (as with 2020 and 2021), the ceremony will take place, but sightseers are discouraged. The ceremony is intended for those who have lost relatives since the last O-Bon. The annual holiday of Obon runs until the night of […]
Taking place at the riverside in Nakagawahara Park in Hitoyoshi City, this fireworks festival would usually attract roughly 55,000 people to attend to ooh and ah at 5,000 pyrotechnics. Unlike a lot of other festivals which sell tickets for seats […]
This is a memorial service for the spirits of fallen soldiers and to pray for peace which takes place on August 15th every year. A large 大 (the kanji symbol for great) is set alight on Mount Wakakusa using 108 […]
There is a community sunflower field maze in the Horigane area of Sayama City every August. The sunflowers typically bloom during the last two weeks of August. It doesn't feel like a huge sunflower field as you walk among the […]
Held on in the beautiful Amanohashidate area, this event features lantern floating and fireworks for a magical evening in Shimasaki Park. The floating of 10,000 Toro Nagashi lanterns takes place from 6 pm until 7.30 pm and the display of […]
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 […]
Summer Sonic, one of Japan's premier music events, is a two-day rock festival that's held simultaneously in both Tokyo and Osaka. All-you-need-to-know for SUPERSONIC As with the previous years, the rock festival is held in both Tokyo and Osaka. For […]
Summer Sonic, one of Japan's premier music events, is a two-day rock festival that's held simultaneously in both Tokyo and Osaka. All-you-need-to-know As with the previous years, the rock festival is held in both Tokyo and Osaka. For the Tokyo […]
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 […]