Hakata Gion Yamasaka is a festival with a 750-year history that features fundoshi (that ever-popular festival garment) clad men racing elaborately decorated floats that weigh in at 1 ton. The event is one of Fukuoka’s largest with approximately 1 million […]
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 […]
Animage is an influential anime magazine that began publication in 1978. One of the early editors was anime producer Toshio Suzuki, who collaborated with Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki on articles and manga for the magazine. The subtitle of the exhibition […]
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 […]
For three days in July, for the last 300 years, the people of Narita and surrounding towns have gathered in the plaza in front of Shinshoji Temple in Narita to celebrate summer planting and ask for blessings from the Buddha […]
This is a celebration of the Tanabata legend, which originated in China. There are several interpretations of the legend but this is how the story is commonly told in Japan: Orihime, the daughter of the Emperor of the Universe Tentei, […]
Japan has great festivals ranging from fight festivals and firework festivals to ones celebrating fertility and scaring children into being good. In the little sleepy village of Kashimo in Nakatsugawa is one about slugs. Yes, slimy slugs. Though it is […]
To celebrate their anniversary, the Museum of Emerging Science and Technology (Miraikan) opens their doors for free on July 9th. They have a few different free entry days based on age, but this one is open to everyone. Note that […]
Held every July, this is the fourth of Japan’s six annual Sumo Tournaments, known as honbasho. With sumo rankings released a few weeks before, it’s a chance to see the traditional sport up close and personal. While the fights are […]
Mizudome-no-mai is a traditional spiritual event that is known to “stop rain”, which has been around for about 680 years. It takes place after the rainy season is well and truly over, which heralds the beginning of summer. People at […]
Sumo is lauded as the national sport of Japan and six times every year, around Japan, tournaments (honbasho) are held in various parts of the country. The Nagoya-basho is held in July at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, located right next […]
The Yasukuni Shrine is notable for many things: its history, its purpose, and the intense political controversy surrounding it. For a few nights each summer, however, many people put aside their political stances and enjoy the wonderful Mitama Festival. "Mitama" […]