A large bonsai exhibition is taking place this weekend in the city of Kyoto.
Visitors can view specimens created by experts, learn how to make their own dwarf trees and purchase those that will be on sale. The exhibition is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Admission is ¥800 for adults and free of charge for 18-year-olds and younger.
The venue is Miyako Messe, an eight-minute walk from Higashiyama Station on the Tozai subway line.
More information is available at shohin-bonsai.or.jp (in Japanese) or by calling 072-754-0481.
Explore Year of the Horse at Ethnology Museum
The National Museum of Ethnology is running an exhibition until Jan. 28 to celebrate the Year of the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac. The museum will also be holding various events related to the exhibition.
Visitors can attend a 40-minute workshop Jan. 13 to learn how to fold origami horses starting at 10 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 1:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. They can try jigsaw puzzles featuring horses between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 13 and 19. There will also be a workshop from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 26 on how to sketch horses and create votive wooden tablets.
Admission to the museum and participation for most of the events are free. It is closed Wednesdays.
The museum is a 15-minute walk from Koen Higashiguchi Station on the Osaka Monorail.
For more information, go to www.minpaku.ac.jp/museum/event/eto/2014uma (in Japanese). The contact number is 06-6876-2151.
FCCJ chief to speak on foreign media in Japan
Lucy Birmingham, president of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, will give a talk in English titled "The State of the Foreign Media in Japan" for free from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 25 in Kyoto.
Reservations are required and can be made by sending an email to [email protected] .
The speech will take place at Kyoto International Community House, known as kokoka, six minutes on foot from Keage Station on the Tozai subway line.
For further information, visit www.kcif.or.jp/HP/event/top/en/img/EventCalendar201401.pdf (in English) or call 075-752-3511.
Tea ceremony and music at Shirotori Garden
Shirotori Garden in Nagoya will entertain visitors by holding a tea ceremony and providing traditional music and dance this weekend.
The tea ceremony, which will cost ¥500 per person, will be held Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Musicians on Saturday will play shamisen starting at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Japanese drums at noon and 3 p.m.
A single-stringed zither will be played at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday, while a Lion Dance will be performed at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday.
Admission to the garden is ¥300 for adults, and free for junior high school students and younger.
The garden is a 10-minute walk from Jingu Nishi Station on the Meijo subway line.
More details can be found at shirotori-garden.jp/calendar/january/shinsyun/index.html (in Japanese) or by calling 052-681-8928.
Fire festival at Osu Kannon Temple in Nagoya
Osu Kannon Temple in Nagoya will hold its Sagicho fire festival Monday.
Charms believed to have protected people from demons in the previous year, along with New Year's decorations, will be burned starting at 1 p.m. to pray for safety and good health for family members and for business success in 2014.
The temple is near Osu Kannon Station on the Tsurumai subway line. To find out more about the event, check www.osu-kannon.jp/gyouji/index.html (in Japanese) or phone 052-231-6525.