Japan Events
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43.062095 141.354376 | 1 Huge glittering ice sculptures transform Sapporo into a magical winter wonderland during the annual Snow Festival. Teams of professional artists from around the globe create the frosty… |  |
2 During Hadaka Matsuri bare-bottomed men ensure their good luck by crowding the streets of Inazawa City in the hope of touching a naked man! Since 767 BC the Naked Man, aka Shin-otokoa, has… |  | |
35.668461 139.709015 | 3 The lively Togo Shrine Markets occur once a month in Jingumae. From dawn onwards, locals browse through old plates, folk arts, traditional dolls, and junk, with the shrine as a backdrop. There… |  |
34.65012 135.510435 | 4 The Nitten Exhibition showcases the work of Japan's finest modern artists at the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art. Visitors can view paintings, sculpture and calligraphy from both established… | |
35.666257 139.731255 | 5 During Japan's biannual Fashion Week, high-flyers of the fashion industry gather at shows in Tokyo Midtown Hall to size up the new Spring/Summer or Autumn/Winter collection. Fashion fever… |  |
34.664875 135.498547 | 6 The greatest Sumo wrestlers in Japan, and therefore the world, meet at the Osaka Municipal Gymnasium for The March Basho, one of the year's six Grand Tournaments. Crowds cheer as meaty men… |  |
35.630581 139.797763 | 7 Tokyo International Anime Fair Tokyo, the anime capital of the world, hosts an international fair dedicated to those much-loved Japanese cartoons. Trade stalls, exhibitions, screenings and the Tokyo Anime Awards take over… |  |
35.668461 139.709015 | 8 The lively Togo Shrine Markets occur once a month in Jingumae. From dawn onwards, locals browse through old plates, folk arts, traditional dolls, and junk, with the shrine as a backdrop. There… | |
35.665298 139.726567 | 9 Renoir: Tradition and Innovation Tokyo's National Art Centre brings together a collection of Renoir's later works (dating between 1880 and 1890) for the Tradition and Innovation exhibition. The paintings are arranged by… | |
10 Hana Matsuri (Buddha's Birthday) Temples throughout Japan are packed during Hana Matsuri, as people gather to celebrate the birth of Buddha. It's a time to admire the flowers in the flower hall and pour sweet tea on the… |  | |
35.699902 139.766602 | 11 Admire delicate cherry blossom during Tokyo's spring-time hanami season. Have a sake party under the pinky-white flowers (Shinjyuku Gyoen garden and Ueno and Sumida parks are popular spots) or… |  |
12 Cherry Blossoms at Yoshinoyama Admiring the Hanami cherry blossoms at Yoshinoyama is a Japanese tradition that goes back centuries. With about 30,000 cherry trees covering the entire mountain, the vista is breathtaking.… |  | |
13 Cherry Blossom Viewing in Kyoto Kyoto's most famous spot for the annual ritual of hanami (cherry blossom viewing), Philosopher's Path is a shady trail along a small canal. In keeping with Kyoto's refined image, this is a… | | |
36.145637 137.252883 | 14 One of Japan's greatest and most beautiful festivals, dating back to the 15th century, the Takayama Matsuri is held twice a year in the city, once in spring and once in autumn. |  |
35.630581 139.797763 | 15 The industry surrounding LCD and its components, materials, equipment and production meets at Tokyo's International Exhibition Centre (also known as Tokyo Big Sight) for Finetech Japan.… | |
35.711883 139.803943 | 16 The Yabusame Festival in Tokyo's Sumida Park is an impressive display of horseback archery, a traditional Japanese sport from Edo times. The fiendishly difficult activity sees jockeys in… |  |
35.512282 139.620115 | 17 Riding high on the success of her latest album, The Fame Monster, Lady Gaga brings her stylish brand of electronic shock-pop to Yokohama Arena. Expect a dazzling show, all lights and glitter… |  |
34.696461 135.520927 | 18 Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) No flower has a greater place in the hearts of the Japanese than the cherry blossom - the national flower of Japan. During hanami (cherry blossom viewing) season there's an impressive display… | |
36.533364 140.228118 | 19 The Moto GP is one of the fastest, most thrilling sports in the world and the Road Racing World Championship season continues with the Japanese Moto GP at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit. |  |
35.668461 139.709015 | 20 The lively Togo Shrine Markets occur once a month in Jingumae. From dawn onwards, locals browse through old plates, folk arts, traditional dolls, and junk, with the shrine as a backdrop. There… | |
35.67872 139.764837 | 21 Like the original La Folle Journée in Nantes, France, this classical music gala follows a different musical theme each year. Audiences fill the Tokyo International Forum and venues in… |  |
35.662596 139.486155 | 22 The NHK Mile Cup is one of Japan's most famous horse races. Pick a winner, place a bet and soak up the lively atmosphere at Tokyo Racecourse, just 30 minutes from central Tokyo. First prize is… | |
23 Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival) Step back in time at Kyoto's Aoi Matsuri - a graceful procession colourfully replicating Imperial celebrations of days gone by. More than 400 people dressed in period costumes follow behind… |  | |
35.700505 139.770469 | 24 Kanda Matsuri is a vibrant religious festival in Tokyo's downtown Shitamachi area, held in honour of Kanda Myojin Shrine's deities (kami). Locals in traditional "happi coats" parade through… |  |
35.015165 135.67744 | 25 During Mifune Matsuri, a procession of lavishly decorated boats carrying costumed courtiers, musicians and dancers makes its way down the Oi River in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto. The… |  |
35.630581 139.797763 | 26 Design Festa at Tokyo Big Sight sees artists from across the world come together and showcase their works under one roof. Browse the creative talent on display in the booths and catch live… |  |
31.8166 130.3 | 27 Swirling colours sweep through the streets of Sendai during the Aoba Festival parade, held in honour of Lord Date Masamune. Don't miss the traditional Sparrow dance performances, where locals… |  |
36.74951 139.621038 | 28 The highlight of Nikko's Grand Festival of Spring is a Samurai procession honouring Tokugawa Ieyasu, Japan's first Shogun, who was buried at Toshogu Shrine in 1617. Over 1000 men, lion… |  |
35.696845 139.793622 | 29 The greatest Sumo wrestlers in Japan, and therefore the world, meet at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall for The May Basho, one of the year's six Grand Tournaments. Crowds cheer as meaty men fight… |  |
35.696933 139.793558 | 30 Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Wrestling Sumo wrestling, still practised competitively, dates back to the 16th century. At the Grand Tournaments at Ryogoku Kokugikan, fascinating ring-entering rituals precede the wrestlers trying to… |  |
35.736375 139.735321 | 31 Grand Festival of Togenuki Jizo During Tokyo's triannual Grand Festival of Togenuki Jizo, the monks of Koganji Temple perform a grand ceremony which involves reading and flipping the sutra. Outside, elderly locals eat… | |
35.662596 139.486155 | 32 The Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) The Tokyo Yushun, or Japanese Derby, is a fixed-weight race for three-year-olds at Tokyo Racecourse and one of the season's most popular races. Just 30 minutes from central Tokyo, visitors… | |
35.012898 135.783591 | 33 Takigi Noh (Open-Air Japanese Theatre) Japanese actors in beautiful costumes and masks perform Noh (Japanese theatre) by torchlight around the Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto. Beneath lanterns and flaming torches, spectators sit in the… |  |
35.125384 136.909389 | 34 At the Atsuta Jingu Shrine Festival in Nagoya, spectacular floats (each made from 365 lanterns) take part in a procession, before being displayed at the shrine's east and west gates. The… | |
36.214536 139.450149 | 35 The Mibu area of Chiyoda town (Hiroshima Prefecture) celebrates the start of the rice-growing season. Saotome (rice-planting girls) singing traditional songs and cattle festooned with flowers… | |
35.642649 139.713413 | 36 It's not all sake in Japan. Sample more than 120 local and international craft brews at Tokyo's Great Japan Beer Festival in Yebisu Garden Place. Be one of the first to try the winner of the… |  |
35.668461 139.709015 | 37 The lively Togo Shrine Markets occur once a month in Jingumae. From dawn onwards, locals browse through old plates, folk arts, traditional dolls, and junk, with the shrine as a backdrop. There… | |
35.662596 139.486155 | 38 Mingle with Japanese gamblers at the famous Yasuda Kinen, the final leg of the Asian Mile Challenge. The horses, all over three years old, race for 1600 metres at the atmospheric Tokyo… | |
35.678528 139.727683 | 39 The Hie-jinja Shrine explodes into life during Sanno Matsuri, a traditional festival from Edo times. Sip Japanese tea at garden ceremonies, wander beautiful Ikebana flower displays and, in… |  |
35.665298 139.726567 | 40 Tokyo's National Art Centre showcases a retrospective of works by world-famous ceramicist Dame Lucie Rie. The Austrian-born Londoner was known for her elegant modernist pottery - browse the… | |
34.69168 135.492131 | 41 Renoir: Tradition and Innovation Tokyo's National Art Centre brings together a collection of Renoir's later works (dating between 1880 and 1890) for the Tradition and Innovation exhibition. The paintings are arranged by… | |
42 Iris Flower Festival (Itako Ayame Matsuri) Half a million visitors are drawn to the town of Itako for the annual Iris Festival. Around one million individual plants of 500 different varieties can be enjoyed in the flower park. | ||
36.6523 138.1921 | 43 The Annual Festive Rites mark the opening of Mount Fuji to climbers. Religious ceremonies are held at the Fuji Sengen Shrine and Komitake Shrine at the foot of Japan's most famous mountain. | |
35.668461 139.709015 | 44 The lively Togo Shrine Markets occur once a month in Jingumae. From dawn onwards, locals browse through old plates, folk arts, traditional dolls, and junk, with the shrine as a backdrop. There… | |
31.8166 130.3 | 45 A romantic legend inspires fabulous fireworks and gorgeous street decorations at Sendai City's biggest event of the year, the Tanabata Star Festival. Carnival parades of floats, marching bands… |  |
46 Wish upon a star and roam streets festooned with colourful decorations during the lively Tanabata Star Festival, inspired by a romantic Chinese legend. Carnival parades, beauty contests… | | |
35.663956 139.712405 | 47 Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival The Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival attracts around 10,000 people and appeals to all persuasions. The films are screened first at Wald9 Cinema in Shinjunku and then at Aoyama… | |
33.7166 130.4333 | 48 This traditional fire festival demonstrates the rich nature-oriented symbolism of Shinto. Twelve mikoshi, or portable shrines, are purified by fire under the spectacular Nachi waterfall, near… |  |
33.5833 130.4 | 49 Giant floats carried by teams of scantily-clad men race through the streets of Fukuoka City at the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival. Each float is elaborately decorated to represent elements of… |  |
50 O-Bon (The Festival of The Dead) The great Buddhist festival of O-Bon, celebrated all over Japan (either in July or August), is often referred to as The Feast of Lanterns. According to tradition, the souls of the dead visit… |  |
