Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Shiga, Wakayama, Check out event schedules, hidden events, local and traditional festivals in the Kansai area.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is illuminated with 1.2million lights featuring themes of the sea and sea creatures. You can see wonderful illumination at the open space in front of Osaka aquarium Kaiyukan. Hours : 17:00 to 22:00 during the period : Closed JAN 16th, 17th and FEB 20th, 21st Access : 10-minute walk from Osakako station…
Kitano-Tenman-gu Shrine grounds offer you to 50 kinds of 2000 plum tree blossoms. You can enjoy walking through the plum grove paths inside the plum garden and have some tea on the stools while admiring the blossoms. They look beautiful when they are in full bloom and the Plum’s sweet smell comes from the colorful…
“Shika-yose” is the way to gather the deer. Deer will be followed the sound of the horn, and many deer will come out from the forest. A peaceful scenery that can only be seen in Nara. Location : Shikayose is on at Tobihino in Nara park, west side of Kasuga-taisha Shrine. Hours : 10:00 to…
Viewing Ume (Japanese plum tree’s blossoms) is also popular attraction as well as Cherry blossoms. A festival featuring 800 red and white plum trees in 80 varieties. You can enjoy rituals and outdoor tea ceremony during this period. Hours : 09:00 to 16:30 during the period. Admission : 300 yen Location : Domyoji Tenmangu Shrine…
Japanese plum tree’s blossoms will be in their best at Expo park in Osaka. There are 124 kind, 600 plum trees at natural culture park, and 37 kinds, 80 plum trees are at Japanese garden. The shop for Ume products such as plum jam, Umeboshi will be open during the festival. Hours : 9:30 to…
Every year Ume matsuri “Baika-sai”, at Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine is held on February 25th. One of the main events along with viewing plum blossoms is the special outdoor tea ceremony “Baikasai”. Hot matcha tea and traditional Japanese sweets are usually served by Maiko. If you like drinking a hot cup of matcha tea then you should…
Kyoto Higashiyama Hanatouro The historical cultural assets, famous temples and shrines in Higashiyama ”東山” district of the city sparkles with holiday illumination. The walkway is total approximately 5 km with open air lanterns. Illuminating Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Kodai-ji Temple and Chion-in Temple, a magnificently beautiful night scene is rendered. Hours : 18:00 to 21:30…
The streets of Den-den Town are closed to traffic for one of the biggest cosplay event in Japan. The Nipponbashi Street Festa is every Otaku’s dream of cosplay and anime, a colourful festival featuring cosplayers, robot performances, live music and much more. This popular event is a must for anybody interested in seeing the Japanese…
On Sunday evening in mid-March, people dance wildly amid showers of fire sparks around “Sagicho” , the blazing pine tree floats. A figure of the animal of the year according to the Oriental Zodiac, made with marine products and grain, is mounted in the center of this float. Hours : Floats will be ignited with fire from…
From mid-March to early May each year, Kodai-ji temple‘s stages are lit up with special illumination at night. Its beautiful gardens and weeping cherry trees create magical atmosphre. Hours : 17:00 to 22:00 every nights during the period. Access : 15-minute walk from Keihan Gojo stationShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click…
Fujinomori Matsuri Festival, 「藤森祭」 is held at Fujinomori Shrine every year from MAY 1 to MAY 5. During the festival, there are many food stalls in the precincts, and portable shrines are carried around the shrine. There are also Japanese drum performances, and a samurai parade. The highlight of this festival is “kakeuma-shinji”, acrobatic horse-riding…
Aoi Matsuri Festival is the most important annual rituals for both Shimogamo Jinja shrine and Kamigamo Jinja shrine. A festival with a 1400 years of continuous history stretching from the Heian period all the way to modern times. The highlight of the festival is the “Roto no Gi”, a tasteful Heian-period dynastic parade with some…
The Aizen Festival prepares for the hot summer ahead with a parade of women wearing cool and attractive yukata. The Aizen-Matsuri 「愛染祭り」is Osaka’s first summer festival of the year. This festival is believed to have originated when women wearing yukata(summer kimono) from the entertainment quarter visited the temple on a palanquin called kago. Every year…
During the Heian period (794-1185), Kyoto suffered a series of natural disasters and plagues. As a form of appeasement to Mother Nature, a thousand years ago during a famine, purification ceremonies called “gouy-e” came into practice. Traditional spears were gathered from all over Japan as well as portable mikoshi (shrines) and offered to pay respect…
Tenmangu is a shinto shrine – founded in 949 – is popular with locals praying for academic success since it is devoted to the deity of learning: “Sugawara no Michizane”. The main celebration is held on the second day, July 25th and includes a land procession with “mikoshi” (portable shrines), a river procession with festival…
Enjoy the sight of 100 ships with bonfires under the fireworks. It’s the festival with the biggest number of spectators in the Kansai area. A number of fireworks : 5,000 The largest diameter of fireworks : 60-m (Size-2.5) Date : 25 JUL Hours : 19:30 to 21:00 Fee : Free Access : JR Sakuranomiya Station…
The Sumiyoshi Festival is held over three days. A highlight of this festival is the nagoshi-harai-shinji ritual on the middle day. The nagoshi-harai-shinji ritual involves women and children in the Muromachi period (14-16th century) costume going through a large straw ring. You can also join in this ritual to wish for good health. The Mikoshi…
“Daimonji Gozan Okuribi” is the Buddhist festival of the feast of our ancestors. Known as “the Bon festival”, it is held on the evening(20:00 P.M) of August 16th. Gigantic Kanji characters and other motifs are lit on the five mountains surrounding the city of Kyoto. Now It is a famous as the Kyoto summer image. This…
Zuiki Festival at Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine/ ずいき祭 This festival is held in appreciation for the year’s grain harvest. The festival began as an offering of new rice husks, vegetables and fruit to the deity. The name comes from the portable shrine, which is adorned with a taro stalk roof. OCT 1, 13:00 to 16:00 For the…
Nada Fighting Festival/ 灘のけんか祭り Nada fighting festival is the popular festival held at the Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in Himeji City. It came to be called by this name “Fighting Festival” because the mikoshi (portable shrines) are jolted against one another when carried on the shoulders of the men in the parade. The greatest attraction is…
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