seasonal festivals and fabulous celebrations

At most shrines in Japan you’ll find a small wooden stand with drawers or a rack of fortune slips known...

If you find yourself in Tokushima in August, the streets come alive with one of Japan’s most famous dance festivals,...

In early August in Aomori, summer nights are lit by enormous illuminated floats that seem to breathe fire as they...

On the second Monday of January, Japan celebrates Seijin no Hi, Coming of Age Day. Across the country, twenty-year-olds dress...

Japanese summers are defined by hanabi, fireworks that light up the night sky from July through August. Unlike quick displays...

Held in July, Tanabata is the festival of star-crossed lovers. The story comes from Chinese legend: two deities, Orihime and...