All About Japan All About Japan

Fresh start every Monday!

Dance in the Center of Shibuya

The first-ever Bon Odori dance festival is coming to Shibuya Crossing! The famous intersection will be closed to traffic to allow everyone to participate in this traditional summer dance festival on August 5.

3 Hot Tokyo Fireworks Festivals

Summer is always an eventful time in Tokyo. During July and August, there are countless summer firework festivals to see!

Furubira's Dazzling Demon Dance Fire Festival

These stunning photographs truly capture the beauty of Hokkaido's Tengu no Hiwatari Festival.

Nishimonai Bon Odori

While Japan's Bon Odori dances may be symbolic of the summer, if you want to really learn the dance, you'd better start in winter!

Travel to Toyama for a 300-Year-Old Festival

The most popular festival in Hokuriku, the beautiful Owara Kaze-no-Bon festival has been held for 300 years to appease the typhoon winds and ask for bountiful crops.

Hoof It to Soma-Nomaoi Festival in Fukushima

Head down to the Soma region of Fukushima to witness a thousand-year-old festival that's still a barrel of fun today.

Kizuna Festival: Coming Together in Tohoku

Join our intrepid writer Nick on a journey to the inaugural Kizuna Festival in Sendai to celebrate the community, cooperation and cultural diversity of the Tohoku region.

11 Things to Do in Gunma in Summer

Blessed with numerous mountains, lakes and rivers, Gunma offers a wealth of outdoors activities in the summertime. Try mountain climbing, rafting, canyoning, canoeing and more—then rest your weary bones in one of the region's celebrated hot springs.

Discover the Beauty of Tohoku

Japan's northeastern Tohoku region offers the comforts of refreshing nature, beautiful scenery and time-tested traditions—concentrating the best of Japan into a single incredible area!

4 Fantastic Tokyo Summer Festivals

As much as you might see about summer fireworks, there are also a number of other fantastic festivals happening in different corners of Tokyo that are very much worth heading out for!

12 Great Ways to Spend the Year in Hokkaido

Not sure when you can make it out to Hokkaido? Here are twelve events worth checking out, one for each month of the year.

Japan's 11 Coolest Festivals

Check out our definitive list of awesome festivals around Japan throughout the year!

Japan’s Key National Celebrations

There are a handful of huge festivals and national traditions that are celebrated all across Japan each year.

4 Awesome Fireworks Festivals Outside Tokyo

Tokyo may be the heart of Japan, but to see amazing fireworks this summer, you'll need to venture out of the capital.

Japan's Top Music Festivals

Summer is upon us, and that means one thing—the country is rocking with a wide variety of awesome music festivals!

Undiscovered Japan: Fukushima & Miyagi

While Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures were both badly hit by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the region has now largely recovered, and is looking to see travelers flock in once again.

Celebrate Tanabata at Tokyo Tower

On July 7, head over to Tokyo Tower for a dazzling Milky Way Illumination. And be sure to come in a summer kimono to get a discount!

All About Japanese Festivals

There are an estimated 600,000 festivals held in Japan every year—an average of 50,000 per month!

Shoryudo: See More, Do More, Travel Smarter

Not sure where to go in Japan and only have a short time to visit? Why not do it all in central Japan? Get a major dose of culture, food, shopping, history and fun, all of which can be found in the Shoryudo region.

All About the Tenjin Matsuri

Japan is famous for its wide variety of festivals, and one of the Top 3 is the Tenjin festival in Osaka. Between dances and river parades, this summer event has it all. Check it out and plan your next visit!

know-before-you-go