Soothe Yourself With a Soak in a Super Sento in Nagoya This Winter
Dec 26, 2019 By Bert Wishart
One thing that many people love to do when they come to Japan is to enjoy onsen, the volcanic hot springs that pop up all over the country. It is an intrinsic part of the Japanese culture to partake in these communal baths, and no trip to the country is...[ Click to read more ]
Snow Festivals in Japan
By Jason Gatewood
Because Japan is over 70% mountainous and located in the temperate latitudes of the western Pacific where the moist ocean air continually does battle with dry, cold Siberian and Mongolian air coming in from China, the Japan Alps enjoys a healthy dusting of snow every winter. No part of Japan...[ Click to read more ]
Chichibu Night Festival Near Tokyo
Nov 26, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Located about 2 hours northwest of Central Tokyo, Chichibu is a small mountain community that is popular for weekend getaways thanks to it being the home of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park and a very picturesque and historic area. Celebrating some of that history is the Chichibu Yomatsuri night festival. This is...[ Click to read more ]
Toyohashi Zoo & Botanical Park – Non Hoi Park
Nov 25, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Toyohashi Zoo & Botanical Park is a fun-packed day out for all the family, with animals, rides, beautiful spots, and flowers from all over the world. Also known as 'Non Hoi Park' (it means something like 'hey, hey!' in the local Higashi-Mikawa dialect) it is a zoo, botanical garden, amusement...[ Click to read more ]
What is the ShichiGoSan Ceremony?
Nov 24, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Traditionally held on November 15, the Shichigosan (七五三, literally 7-5-3) ceremony is a rite that originated around 750 AD in the Heian period to celebrate the passage into middle childhood for children in Japan. Back in those times, it was considered a blessing from the gods if a child made...[ Click to read more ]
Get a Sugar Rush at the Aichi Sweets Marathon
Oct 29, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Are you too keen on candy to run a marathon? Do you need sugary enticement to get you to that finishing line? Then the Aichi Sweets Marathon in Moricoro Park is right up your, um, running track. While gobbling down sweets mid-run may seem like a major contradiction, the Sweets Marathon...[ Click to read more ]
The Nipponbashi Street Festa in Osaka
Oct 18, 2019 By Justin Hanus
Back in 2005, Osaka was not nearly as popular a tourist destination as it is today. The city decided to host a cosplay and otaku festival called Nipponbashi Street Festa to improve things, and it was a huge success. In the first year, 130,00 tourists came to see the festival,...[ Click to read more ]
Nagano Ebisuko Fireworks Festival, Where It’s All Going off This Autumn
Sep 27, 2019 By Bert Wishart
For most of Japan, the coming of autumn marks an end to the almost nightly banging, crashing and gunpowder-scented air of the fireworks festivals. Yes, there may be a few straggling events at the beginning of September, but that is pretty much it. But then, in late November, when the air...[ Click to read more ]
Kawagoe Hikawa Festival
Sep 25, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Taking place annually on the 3rd Saturday and Sunday of October, the Kawagoe Festival is the pride of the City of Kawagoe every year and has over 360 years of traditions behind it. The entire "Little Edo" area of town is blocked off to automobile traffic and the Karazukuri Old...[ Click to read more ]
Brick or Treat – Getting Spooky at Legoland this Halloween
By Bert Wishart
Halloween in Japan is an odd time, in that it is mostly aimed at an older demographic. Street parties and nightclubs are boozy affairs, while costume shops almost exclusively trade in sexy fancy dress for women. For those of us coming from the West, where Halloween is predominantly an affair...[ Click to read more ]
