A festival in which locals dress up as demons and scare the bejesus out of young children. There are also bonfires, a dramatic explanation of the reason for the festival, taiko drumming and mochi hurling.
While you’re in town, take a look at the Nahagekan (Namahage museum). The museum is open year round and is dedicated to the festival for which it is named. Inside you can see the various costumes and masks and even try them on. Admission to the museum is 500yen or 800yen with a combined ticket to the neighbouring Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum.
Kobe Luminarie is an annual winter light-up held in memory of the victims of the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995. Now running for over 20 years, the event takes place in the vicinity of Motomachi Station on the JR Kobe […]
This festival in Nara prefecture traces its origin back to the 12th century. The name comes from the Wakamiya Shrine – a shrine within the ground of the larger Kasuga Taisha Shrine. This event is really a combination of different […]
The quiet streets of Arashiyama and Sagano will be beautifully lit each evening, allowing you to explore the traditional town after dark. Temples and shrines will be open during the evenings and this will be an amazing chance to see […]
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 Park finishes on Christmas day, Sapporo Station continues until […]