EVENTS
Gion Festival
EVENTS
There are so many events in Japan running all throughout the year and right across the country. Coffee Festival? Don’t mind if we do! Gay Pride? Absolutely! Or perhaps something a little more traditional? Good news, the summer season is full of them, such as the Obon dance festival and countless neighbourhood matsuri. From the Sapporo Snow Festival to Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri, no matter where you are, there’s bound to be something exciting happening. Read on for more information about some of our favourite events in Japan.
POPULAR POSTS
Tokyo Day Trip: Koedo, Kawagoe’s Breath of Edo
We hear music in the distance. Drums beat and flutes whistle a traditional...
Yosakoi Festival in Kochi: A Summer Dance Celebration
While there are various festivals year-round throughout Japan, summer is the high season...
Tohoku’s Kizuna Festival Raucously Blends Six Great Traditions
Tanabata Festival in Sendai
Japanese festivals are raucous and...
The Famed Oto Fire Festival of Wakayama Prefecture
Men of all ages – dressed in white with a thick rope...
Hokkaido Events: Lake Shikotsu Winter Ice Festival
If we could recommend just one winter festival in Hokkaido, it would definitely...
Lanterns Over the Dark Sea Create Dreamlike Kiriko Festival on Noto Peninsula
A glow from festival lights fills the air...
A Sea of Wisteria Reflected in the Rice Fields Near Odate City
25 years ago, a local farmer planted a wisteria garden as a hobby....
Enjoy the Summer Cheer at the Multicoloured Nebuta Matsuri
'Tis the season to be jolly! In Japan’s case, that means the season...
Umi No Hi Festival A Different Way to Experience Tokyo in the Summer
The Umi No Hi festival is celebrated by decorating the beach of Odaiba...
Matsuri, the Sacred Rituals of Prayers and Festivities
Since ancient times, Japanese have gathered at sacred places — a great boulder...
Kanazawa Carries On Edo-Era Kaga Tobi Firefighter Festival
For a truly surprising event packed with Edo-era charm, head to Kanazawa for...
Pray for the New Year with Colorful Mayudama at Kinomiya Shrine
The colorful Mayudama of Kinomiya Shrine
Higanbana Flower Viewing at Kinchakuda in Saitama
While most people associate spring with flowers, there are plenty of lovely blossoms...
Halloween in Japan: Gotta Catch ’em All!
There's a different kind of magic in the air as crisp and golden...
Love Yokai? Ge-ge-get Yourself to Kitano Ichijo-dori!
Ghosts, monsters and mischievous spirits are a staple of every single human culture...
Awa Odori Festival in Tokushima: An Obon Tradition
Summer is peak festival season in Japan, particularly during the Obon period in...
Hanami in Inokashira Park: A How To Guide
It would be a shame to be in Japan during cherry blossom season...
The Penis Festival in Komaki: A Unique Cultural Event
At any time of year, visitors can find various festivals throughout Japan that...
Ikana-akan! Osaka’s Unmissable Tenjin Matsuri.
Since time immemorial, Japanese sensibility has lionised the transient events in life. Soon...
Halloween Hijinx at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea
Halloween is one of the spookiest events on the calendar; a time for...
The Oku-Noto Triennale: Art at the End of the World
Kanazawa lies at the base of the Noto peninsula, a small stretch of...
Heat, culture, chaos: the real Gion Matsuri.
Kyoto is a city that many consider to be the perfect embodiment of the truest 'Japanese sensibilities.' Refinement, subtlety and a restrained aesthetic create a type of harmony that permeates all facets of life in Japan. Minimalism, restraint and the beloved 'wabi-sabi' are all forms of a distinctly Kyoto-esque identity. Enter the Gion Matsuri: a night of hot air, cold beer and a touch of ancestral transcendence.
Ditch the Debauchery and do New Years Eve Like a Local in Japan
Japanese New Year, or shogatsu, is the most important date on the calendar....
Ueno Park: One of the Best Places to see Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo
Come springtime in Japan, there’s one thing on everybody’s mind: cherry blossoms. People...
Magical Winter Date Spot at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market
Despite having a Christian population of roughly 1%, Christmas is a big deal...
Don’t Miss Tokyo’s Dreamiest Cherry Blossom Spot: Meguro River
Tiny and sweet, cherry blossoms are a sure-fire symbol of spring, and in...
What’s Up with These Japanese Fish Flags? Koinobori and Children’s Day
Once spring hits, they’re nearly everywhere. Visitors to Japan will find long strands...
Where to watch the AFL Grand Final in Japan
Traveling around Japan this finals season? Missing the echo of the siren, the...
Tokyo’s Plum Blossom Season: Where and why you should go
While much ado is made about Japan's cherry blossom season, winter-weary travellers should...
A Solid Hour Of Fireworks At The Tamagawa Fireworks Festival
Yes, you read that correctly—one whole hour. To be honest, I didn’t quite...