Concerts featuring Chinese and Japanese string instruments will be held this month and in December in Kyoto.

A koto concert (www.kac.or.jp/events/8738/) will start at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 in Kyoto Art Center, a five-minute walk from Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line and Shijo Station on the Karasuma subway line. Admission is ¥2,500. For more details, send email to [email protected] or call 075-394-5012.

The Chinese "biwa" will be played for 30 minutes starting at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Nov. 24 and Dec. 8 in Kyoto National Museum, a seven-minute walk from Shichijo Station on the Keihan Line.

A concert featuring the Chinese "erhu" will take place three times Dec. 1 in the museum.

Admission to the concerts in the museum are free, but tickets must be purchased for a special exhibition. More details can be found at www.kyohaku.go.jp/jp/tokubetsu/131012/20131012event.pdf (in Japanese) or by calling 075-531-7504.

Health festival for non-Japanese residents

Foreign residents can get checkups for sexually transmitted diseases, have their chest X-rayed, seek advice on health issues and learn how to reduce damage from natural disasters Nov. 16 in Kyoto.

The session, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is free of charge and no reservations are required.

The venue is the Fushimi Ward Office in Kyoto, 10 minutes on foot from Tambabashi Station on the Keihan Line and the Kintetsu Kyoto Line.

For further details, visit kyoto-healthfiesta.jimdo.com (in several languages) or call 06-6354-5902.

Night-time illumination at Mount Yoshino

Mount Yoshino in Nara, known for cherry blossoms in spring and colorful leaves in autumn, is being illuminated each night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Nov. 24.

The mountain is near Yoshino Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line.

More information can be found at www.yoshinoyama-sakura.jp/koyo2013.php (in Japanese) or call 0746-32-1007.

Massive sale of ceramic and porcelain items

More than 400 stalls will sell ceramics and porcelain from all over Japan between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Nov. 15 to Nov. 20 in Nagoya.

Admission is ¥1,000 for junior high school students and older.

The venue is Nagoya Dome, a five-minute walk from Nagoya Dome Mae Yada Station on the Yutorito Line and the Meijo subway line.

For more information, go to www.dome-yakimono.com (in Japanese). The contact number is 052-221-0955.

Special exhibition continues at Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle will continue a special exhibition until Nov. 24 on its history, architecture and art. Visitors can also view chrysanthemum dolls and about 500 pots of chrysanthemum flowers.

Admission to the special exhibition is ¥800 for high school students and older, including the ¥500 fee to enter the castle. The castle is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Nagoya Castle is five minutes on foot from Shiyakusho Station on the Meijo subway line.

To learn more, go to www.nagoyajo.city.nagoya.jp/02_events/25/ 251012/index.html (in Japanese) or call 052-231-1700.