No One Does Beer Gardens Like Japan
Jul 24, 2017 By Justin Hanus
It's summer. It's hot. And for many that means only one thing - beer gardens. The summertime treat, however, does not have its origins in cold brews quenching parched summer thirsts. Five hundred years ago in Bavaria the brewing of beer was legal only between the feast of St. Michael...[ Click to read more ]
Gozan no Okuribi – Kyoto’s Obon Fire-Fest
Jul 11, 2017 By Bert Wishart
The festival of Obon, a buddhist celebration of ancestors, is celebrated across Japan from the 13th-15th of August (excepting some regional variants). During Obon, the spirits of ancestors return to this world to visit family altars, though they are not limited to that location! At the culmination of this festival,...[ Click to read more ]
Kobe Love Port or the Minato Matsuri 2017
Jun 27, 2017 By
The Kobe Love Port (Minato Matsuri) is an annual festival held on Dainitotte (the 2nd Pier) east of Meriken Park close to the Port Terminal station on the Portliner. The festival celebrates Marine Day, express gratitude for the blessings of the ocean, and hope for prosperity in the coming year. This festival has a distinct nautical...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya Octoberfest In July!
Jun 20, 2017 By Ray Proper
Yes, October Fest in July; why not? Drop by and sample German food, and BEER; lots and lots of German beer. I am all about imbibing of some bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, and if I am really lucky I might be able to find some strudel… yummy yummy yummy! Admission to...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya Auto Festival
Jun 10, 2017 By
If you are interested in cars, you may want to check out Nagoya Auto Festival, featuring newer, highly customized vehicles. There will be no shortage of interesting vehicles to peruse, as well as other attractions such as special guests, performances, and a food court. Nagoya Auto Festival 2017 This is a relatively...[ Click to read more ]
Sanno Matsuri, One of Tokyo’s Three Most Important Festivals
May 30, 2017 By Bert Wishart
When it comes to festivals (matsuri), nothing can quite beat Japan in the summer. Pretty much every town and city will have one, and Tokyo, being the cultural (and pretty much geographical) epicenter of the country, has more than its fair share. One of the capital's three most important matsuri...[ Click to read more ]
Toukasan Festival: Hiroshima’s Official Start of Summer
May 23, 2017 By Jade Brischke
Toukasan (とうかさん) is not only the biggest festival in Hiroshima, but also one of the oldest of the summer festivals in the whole of Japan. Dating back some 400 years, the three-day festival is the event the highlights the fact that summer has officially begun. Held every June on the...[ Click to read more ]
The Meanings of Osaka’s One Million Candles Night
By Justin Hanus
For two hours on Wednesday night June 7 all of the lights in the Umeda district of downtown Osaka will be switched off. Umeda is the city's principle commercial core, noted for its skyscraper canyons and general hustle and bustle. It is not a place accustomed to being thrown into...[ Click to read more ]
Cool Down with Shaved Ice This Summer
By Justin Hanus
If it is summer in Japan it is time for kakigori. Kakigori is the nation's traditional hot weather treat - a mound of shaved ice sweetened with condensed milk and flavored with fruit or syrups. You can get your kakigori fix just about anywhere - in coffee shops, restaurants, at...[ Click to read more ]
Japan Alps Art Festival 2017
May 19, 2017 By Bert Wishart
While the area is famous for hiking in summer and skiing in winter, when one thinks of the mountanous prefecture of Nagano, art isn't exactly the first thing that springs to mind. However, this preconception may be about to change. Up in the northwest of the prefecture, from early June to...[ Click to read more ]
