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 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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Kagaya is a Japanese photographer with a large social media following, and he has become famous for his starry night sky shots. From capturing the twinkling stars of a Hokkaido winter evening, or snapping the incredible reflection of stars on […]
Inside the temple grounds are food stalls with grilled food, including grilled squid, and lanterns light the path leading to the temple. The temple grounds have a different atmosphere than usual, with groups of families gathering for this special event. […]
Considered one of Japan's premier cycling events the iconic, annual Mount Fuji Long Ride event invites cycling veterans and beginners alike to the foothills of Yamanashi to cycle around the Fuji Five Lakes region in the shadow of Mount Fuji. […]
Snow Machine came to Japan in 2019! Being the first-ever major winter music festival being held on a Japanese ski field. Snow Machine, a sister festival of the popular Australian "Wine Machine" is organized by Australia-based Falcona and Hakuba.com. About […]
Each year, on the 8th and 9th of September, Nozawa Onsen comes alive for the amazing Lantern Festival. Festivals are something that Nozawa Onsen village does well and while January’s Fire Festival may get all the hype due to coinciding […]
The Hanamaki Festival is one of the 3 biggest in Iwate, the other 2 being Sansa Odori in Morioka and the Mizusawa Festival in Oshuu. The streets of downtown Hanamaki are usually rather quiet but for 3 days in September, […]
In a region of Niigata which is perhaps better known for sake, it may come as a surprise to find a working winery. Echigo Winery produces a range of different beverages, including red wine, white wine, sparkling wine, and rosé, […]
Jazz music is not everyone’s cup of green tea, so it was quite a shock to discover that the Jozenji Street Jazz Festival is one of Sendai’s biggest annual events. Starting back in 1987 on a department store stage, the […]
Kami-Kitayama-mura in southeast Nara Prefecture has acres, hectares, and uninterrupted square miles of unsullied mountain, valley, and river nature and a population of between just 500 and 600 people. For a tiny rural village, though, Kami-Kitayama-mura does know how to […]
This carpet of over 5,000,000 bright red spider lilies beside the Koma River made it to the list of the top 30 reasons to visit Japan or really, the top 30 most beautiful places in Japan. So remarkable, in fact, […]
Seasonal eating is great for a number of reasons - it's fresher, cheaper, and more sustainable for our planet. The Niseko Autumn Food Festival celebrates this train of thought, and the event will include eighteen local restaurants and bars serving […]
Running for over 30 years now, the Hokkaido Fair at Yoyogi is a multi-day event that brings some of the region's foodie favorites to Tokyo's Yoyogi Park. The prefecture is highly regarded for its food exports – especially its dairy […]
The Czech Festival in Tokyo is Japan's largest Czech-based event, and the multi-day affair includes a variety of ways to connect with this charming European country. There will be Czech products including accessories, character goods, toys, and books available to […]
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 […]
Each year around the early October timeframe, Saga's Kinryu Park is filled with the color of thousands of cosmos flowers in bloom. The park spans around 3.5 hectares, and the cosmos planted here include several different varieties and colors, too. […]
Each year from around early to mid-October, Aichi's Shinshiro Cosmos Alley is filled with the beauty of around 350,000 cosmos in bloom in numerous varieties. During the blooming season, they also hold a fun scarecrow competition here, with numerous amusing […]
It’s time to climb to save a life. Participation in TELL’s Tokyo Tower Climb helps improve awareness for World Suicide Prevention Day, which is on September 10th. The climb of Tokyo’s iconic tower takes place around the awareness-raising day and […]
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 […]