Under the Bridge; Enjoy Nagoya’s Nayabashi Night Market

Sep 27, 2023 By Bert Wishart

While I absolutely love living in Nagoya, one thing frustrates me about this fair city. No, it's not that it has a reputation for being boring, and it's not that the subway stops at about midnight (this isn't Antarctica, you know!) My Nagoya bugbear is the Nayabashi area. Here, a...[ Click to read more ]

Nippon Domannaka Matsuri in Nagoya

Jul 31, 2023 By Ray Proper

The Nippon Domannaka Matsuri, commonly called Domatsuri, is the largest dance festival in the Nagoya/Chubu region and involves dancers from all over Japan and abroad. This festival is one of the highlights of the Nagoya summer. Every year over 200 yosakoi dance teams and 23,000 performers participate by sharing original music, costumes,...[ Click to read more ]

Arimatsu Shibori Festival

May 07, 2023 By Ray Proper

Shibori is a style of dyeing cloth in patterns by binding, stitching, folding, twisting, compressing, or capping the fabric before the application of dye, you can think of shibori as a kind of Japanese tie-dye, but it is a vastly more significant and more beautiful form of art than that...[ Click to read more ]

Kites and Nights at the Hamamatsu Festival

Apr 27, 2023 By Bert Wishart

As fun as most Japanese festivals can be, do you ever get the impression that they start winding down just as things get interesting? For the most part, as soon as the sun sets and the canned beers kick in, festival stalls close their shutters, the last fireworks fade, and...[ Click to read more ]

Inuyama Festival Near Nagoya

Mar 21, 2023 By Bert Wishart

Not content with being the site of Japan's oldest (arguably most elegant) castle or being a staggeringly beautiful city, Inuyama hosts a particularly spellbinding festival every spring. The Inuyama festival is held annually on the first weekend of April and was begun under the orders of Owari clan retainer Hayatonosho...[ Click to read more ]

Chubu Walkathon and International Charity Festival 2024

Mar 05, 2023 By Admin

The Chubu Walkathon is an exciting event that raises money for charity and offers a great family-friendly day in the park for adults and children alike. The Walkathon is not just a walking course. This fun and memorable family event has excellent food, live music, stage shows, a children’s activity...[ Click to read more ]

Top Hanami Sites Around Tokyo

Feb 27, 2023 By Michael Stigall

Rejoice for the end of winter is nearly here, and one of the best times to be in Japan is almost upon us. I am speaking, of course, of cherry blossom viewing or hanami. Just picture it! The weather will soon be warmer, the days longer, and it'll be time...[ Click to read more ]

Top Five Hanami Sites Near Nagoya

Feb 22, 2023 By Ray Proper

"Hanami" literally means flower viewing, but it is much more than that to Japan's people. Hanami signals the end of another long winter's chill. Besides simply enjoying the beauty of flowers, especially cherry blossoms (桜 sakura), hanami means time spent with friends and family outdoors with copious food and drinks,...[ Click to read more ]

Top Hanami Sites Near Kobe

Feb 20, 2023 By Justin Hanus

Spring is just around the corner, which means Hanami time is here again for many Japanese residents. Hanami means "flower viewing" in Japanese (from the Japanese for flower - "hana"), and, up and down the country, people gather together to spend time with each other and appreciate the beauty of...[ Click to read more ]

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Valentine’s Day in Hiroshima

Jan 30, 2023 By Justin Hanus

Valentine's Day is a big deal worldwide, including in Japan. To understand why you need to understand how the holiday came to be. The Origins of Valentine's Day Although the origin of St. Valentine's Day is a bit murky, the holiday as we know it is undoubtedly a mix of...[ Click to read more ]