Okera Mairi: Old Year’s Eve at Yasaka-jinja Shrine
Want to ensure peace and prosperity for 2023? Head to Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine on the 31st of December for the Okera Mairi ceremony, which is supposed to ensure just that. What happens? Okera …
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Nijo-jo Castle Garden Special Opening
Usually only view-able from the stone foundation of the former castle keep, the Castle gardens are being opened to celebrate the new year. This is a rare opportunity to step inside the treasured …
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Saga Light Fantasy
Spreading out from the south entrance of Saga Station, Saga Light Fantasy is a winter illumination featuring more than 1.8 million colored LED bulbs. There will be an incredible opening night on …
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Nankinmachi Lantern Fair
The already beautiful and bustling streets of Kobe’s China Town will be decorated with hundreds of red lanterns until January 9. The magical surroundings are perfect for an evening stroll …
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Maebashi Hatsuichi Daruma Festival
The Maebashi Hatsuichi (meaning first market) Festival is an explosive way to start the year. The highway nearby is closed to cars and stalls are set up, ready to sell lucky trinkets and festival …
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Kyoto Toka Ebisu Festival
This popular five-day festival celebrates Ebisu-san, one of the seven lucky Gods of Japanese mythology, responsible for prosperity. What is there to see and do? There are plenty of charms to buy …
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Oni Hashiri: Ogres and Flaming Torches
Taking place in the grounds of Nenbutsu Temple in Nara, this fiery performance has been an annual tradition for over 500 years. What happens? Three ogres, armed with flaming torches, scare away …
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Dontosai Festival
The Dontosai Festival, known as the Matsutaki Festival for Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, is a fiery New Year festival unique to Miyagi. What happens? Every year on January 14, festival goers burn …
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Shittenoji Doya Doya Festival
Celebrating the end of 14 days of worship after the new year, the Shittenoji Doya Doya Festival sees dozens of loincloth-clad men and boys being doused in very cold water as they compete in teams …
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Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival
The Nozawa Fire Festival is one of the three greatest fire festivals in Japan and a must-see event which takes place at Baba-no-hara, Nozawa Onsen Village on the 15th of January every year. After …
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Miyoshi Bonden Festival
Held at Mt. Taihei Miyoshi Shrine every year, the Miyoshi Bonden Festival is a spirited, sometimes-violent race to place offerings at the shrine for health, a bountiful harvest, and business …
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Wakakusa Yamayaki
One of the most impressive sights in Japan this January, the Wasakusa Yamayaki sees an entire mountainside in Nara go up in flames as fireworks are launched behind it. Although its origins are …
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Festival of Lights Osaka
Osaka’s winter illuminations are split into two main events under the “Festival of Lights” umbrella: Midosuji Illumination and Osaka Hikari Renaissance. But there are also quite …
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Kayabuki no Sato Snow Lantern Festival
An amazing chance to see a remote, snow-covered thatched village illuminated with hundreds of lanterns.
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Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2024
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival will be held for the first time in three years! Featuring more than 15,000 lanterns, the festival originally started as a simple Chinese New Year celebration. In …
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Ashikaga Flower Park Illuminations 2023
Visit one of the best illuminations in Japan and relive the wonder of the spring wisteria.
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Shirakawago Winter Light-Up 2024
The 2023 Shirakawa-go Winter Light-up has been announced! It will go ahead this year but reservations will be required. Where is Shirakawago? Shirakawago is a picturesque village in Gifu …
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Lake Towada Winter Story of Light
Lake Towada will be transformed into an illuminated winter wonderland with fireworks each night. The festival includes fireworks at 7:30 p.m., activities that require advanced reservations, and …
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Yunishigawa Onsen Kamakura Festival
A snowy wonderland appears each winter in this quiet hot spring town as hundreds of small snow-houses are built. Illuminated on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings for the one month duration of …
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Osaka Illuminage
Illuminage will happen at five venues this year throughout Osaka and Kobe (and even one in Fukuoka) — that’s a lot of lights. For more of Osaka’s best winter illuminations, …
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Sapporo White Illumination
This winter light-up takes place at five different locations including Odori Park, Sapporo Eki-mae Dori and Minami 1-Jo Dori. All locations switch on the lights on November 22nd, but while Odori …
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