Chinese New year Festival Nagoya 2018
Dec 20, 2017 By Bert Wishart
Although Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1873, celebration of the Chinese year is still an important cultural event in the country. This year (2018) the Chinese New Year falls on February 16, however Nagoya wants to get in on the fun a little bit early. Chinese New Year Festival...[ Click to read more ]
New Year’s Countdown Tokyo Style 2017
Nov 29, 2017 By Jason Gatewood
[caption id="attachment_33936" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Revelers await the coming new year as time ticks down on the video monitors above Shibuya Crossing. (Dick Thomas Johnson via Flickr)[/caption] Whoa, can you believe it? Another year is almost on its way out and as always, your ever faithful JIS staff are here to...[ Click to read more ]
Gujo Hachiman, an Edo Era Town That’s Much More Than a Song and a Dance
Nov 01, 2017 By Bert Wishart
You may recall that, back in July, we posted about the Gujo Hachiman Bon Odori festival, a four day extravaganza of all night dancing, perhaps the most famous event of its type in all of Japan. While it is quite an extraordinary sight, there is a good chance that you...[ Click to read more ]
The Danjiri Matsuri in Osaka is a Multi-Generational Thrill Show
Sep 14, 2017 By Justin Hanus
Autumn means the biggest event of the year for the southern Osaka city of Kishiwada - the Danjiri Matsuri. Danjiri are large wooden carts inside which religious tenets declare gods reside. The point of the festival is to honor the gods by having fleets of neighborhood men pull the carts...[ Click to read more ]
Hatchiman Matsuri, One of Japan’s Most Beautiful Festivals in Enchanting Takayama
Sep 12, 2017 By Bert Wishart
Located in Gifu Prefecture, and surrounded by some of Japan’s richest natural areas just below the famous Northern Alps, Takayama is some what isolated and distant. This isolation allowed the city to develop its own distinct culture that combines that of nearby Edo (modern day Tokyo) and Kyoto’s into a new...[ Click to read more ]
Tricks and Treats for All Ages at USJ for Halloween
Sep 07, 2017 By Justin Hanus
Although Universal Studios Japan is an exciting outing any time of year, during the Halloween season, USJ’s additional tricks and treats make for a particularly entertaining way to spend some free time. Whether you’ve got a whole family tagging along or you’re looking for a fun social option with friends,...[ Click to read more ]
The Yatai Festival at Osaka Castle
Aug 28, 2017 By
Picture in your mind the usual selection of Japanese yatai and festival foods, like karaage, tama sen, JUMBO hot dogs, "kakigori" shaved ice. Now throw all that out, because this is not that. The Yatai Festival at Osaka Castle is a very large outdoor festival that offers a wide variety of gourmet...[ Click to read more ]
Nara, the Original Capital City of Culture
Aug 24, 2017 By Bert Wishart
Some 1,300 years ago the Empress Genmei established the seat of power in the mountainous area of Heijō-kyō, and in doing so created the country's first ever permanent capital. With the nation being ruled from the city (present-day Nara) this time has come to be known as the Nara period. Today Nara is a...[ Click to read more ]
Digging into the Rituals of Clam Digging
By Justin Hanus
They begin showing up on the beaches in late spring and continue to gather all summer long, armed with small rakes (kumades), plastic buckets, and mesh bags. It is Shiohigari time - literally “hunting in the tides.” The Japanese tradition of digging in the sand for shellfish, mostly clams, is...[ Click to read more ]
Meet Kobe’s Sister City – Seattle, Washington
Jul 24, 2017 By Justin Hanus
The idea of international "sister cities" began in 1947 as a way to promote friendship and cross-cultural understanding after World War II. There was also an economic component to the concept to encourage trade and tourism. In the 1980s the Japanese government created the Council of Local Authorities for International...[ Click to read more ]
