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Culture & Event

There are various annual events in Japan. You should check this page before you travel Japan! Enjoy Japan with events of four seasons...

The Umibiraki day is usually in July, and is towrad the end of July in Hokkaido colder than Tokyo. On the other...

Namahage

The Namahage on New Year's eve is traditional local custom of Akita prefecture in Japan, and is designated as national important intangible cultural property. An ogre called Namahage go on rounds of people's homes to admonish a lazy...

Star festival (Tanabata)

Star festival(July 7) called Tanabata festival in Japan is one of the seasonal festivals. It is popular that Japanese write their wishes on the Star festival papers called Tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches. Writing and hanging Tanzaku are...

What Japanese do on the Omisoka!?

Omisoka is the last day of the year(New Year's eve) in Japanese. Its origin is Misoka which is the last of the month, Omisoka consist Misoka and "O" which means big. There are many customs for Omisoka in Japan, Toshikoshi-soba,...

Pacific Saury Festival in September!

Pacific Saury Festival in Tokyo is held on first and second Sunday of September. The first Pacific Saury Festival is held in Meguro-ku Ward, the second Pacific Saury Festival is held in Shinagawa-ku Ward. Both festival serve grilled pacif...

What is Japanese Boy's Festival?

In Japanese Boy's Festival, parents display Japanese armour and helmet with wishing for their boys to succeed in his life. Because the more high rank samurai was, the more samurai wear luxuly and storng armour and helmet in smurai society...

Japanese Chirstmas lights

There are many Chirstmas lights in Europes and US countries, there are also many Christmas lights in Japan. Mnay Japanse say it not Christmas light but illuminations. Some tourist spots have illuminations not only in Chirstmas...

Winter solstice of Japanese culture!

A winter solstice called Touji in Japanse is around December 21th in Japan. The duration of sunshine is about five hours longer than summer solstice in Tokyo. On the winter solstice day, the power of the sun is weakest in a year, but...

Full-moon night Jugoya in September!

Many Japanese watch and enjoy the full-moon night on 15th of September called Jugoya. This event is widely known as autumn event in asia. In Japan, this event means not only enjoyment of watching the moon when the moon....

Admire colouring of autumn leaves!

Many Japanese go and enojy Momiji-gari in October and November. Momiji-gari is to go a mountain or shrine or temple and to admire colouring of autumn leaves. Momiji means red leaves, gari(kari) means hunting in Japanese. Gari is.....

Gathering chestnuts in Autumn!

Many Japanese enjoy not only grape picking and viewing colouring of autumn leaves but also gathering chestnuts in autumn. Gathering chestnuts is a common feature of autumn too. The history of Japanse and chestnuts is very long....

Exciting Kanda Festival in May!?

This festival started in the Edo period(early 17th century), and is held in honor of the Kanda shrine venerating Taira no Masakado. He was samurai in the Heian period from 794 to 1185 A.D. He is famous for fighting central goverment to sav....

Feature of summer food Hiyashi-Chuka!

There are several theories about the origin of Hiyashi Chuka, but popular theory is that ramen shop Ryu-tei in Sendai made first Hiyashi Chuka in 1937. The owner of this shop made it because ramen which is hot and greasy didn't be sold...

Rainy season Tsuyu start in June!

Start of plum rain is called Tsuyu-iri, and end of plum rain is called Tsuyu-ake in Japan. Japanese Meteorological Agency publish Tsuyu-iri and Tsuyu-ake though Tsuyu-ake was formally on June 11 in the past. It publishes them with considering...

The Obon Festival in August!

The Obon Festival is a Japanese custom to worship one's ancestors. There is a custom to eat Ohagi(Botamochi) which is rice ball with red beans in Obon season. People think red color can purge evil spirits in the past, so they eat it...

Valentine's Day in Japan is for girls!?

St. Valentine's Day is known as the day people give greeting card and candy or chocolate to own family members or friends or lover in the world. However, it is known as the day a girl confess her love to the boy with giving...

The Sapporo Snow Festival!

The Sapporo Snow Festival which is the largest event of Hokkaido prefecture is held in the beginning of February every year. It exhibits many snow and ice sculptures, over two million people visit there for seven days. It....