Things to do

An event to enjoy sencha-do (the way of green tea) will be held on May 19 in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture. Sencha-do master Etsuko Yoshida, clad in kimono, will serve tea grown in Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, and specially made Japanese cake to guests in Toryu-an Tea ...

Festival featuring a parade of mikoshi, children in fancy attire and warriors followed by 11 Yamahoko and townspeople dancing Suzume Odori (local Japanese dance). Schedule & Key events: ● May 18 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Suzume Odori in Simin Hiroba (civic open space), Motokajicho Park and ...

Kurofune Matsuri (Black Ship Festival) started in 1934 is an international event that brings together Japanese and Americans and promotes friendly relations between the two nations. This festival was originally named after the historical event in 1854 when the U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry ...

Boat Festival, held on Oi River near Arashiyama. This festival features "Ofuna-asobi" (which literally means playing & pleasure on the boat), in which people wearing various costumes of Heian period (794-1185) play and pleasure over 20 kinds of various Japanese traditional performing arts including ...

The festival is counted as one of the Tokyo's grandest. Daigyoretsu (a big parade of people in traditional attires) to the tune of the festival music, Binzasara-mai (Shinto dance) and mikoshi parade are the highlights. If it rains, Daigyoretsu parade will be canceled. Schedule & ...

Festival with over a 400-year history. The highlight of this festival is a parade of mikoshi and gorgeous 50 floats which include the eight floats of four pairs of big Shishi-gashira (shaped like a huge lions' head) along the city's main streets. Many more ...

Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Hall. Dohyo-iri (the ring-entering ceremonies) by Yokozuna (the grand champions) take place around 3:55 p.m. daily. Then the main matches by Maku-uchi (upper-rank Sumo wrestlers) start. Advance tickets are sold at Ticket Pia, convenience stores, and so on. ...

Annual Festival of the shrine. Mikoshi parade through the neighborhood, and Edosato-Kagura (Shinto dance with music) is performed several times a day. The festival is rather small in scale this year. Schedule & Key events: ● daily　 9 ...

Annual Festival of the shrine. The highlight of the festival is a procession of eight mikoshi owned by towns, parading through the neighborhood of the shrine. The festival is rather small in scale this year. Schedule & Key events: ● May 26 ...

Ayame (iris) Flower Festival. A million iris flowers of 500 species are in bloom in the garden. Admission is free. Yomeiri-fune (a boat escorting a bride) and local Japanese entertainments are performed during the festival period. Schedule & Key events: ● daily ...

Cormorant fishing. It will be held every day during the period except on the night of the full moon (Sept. 17 this year) or when the water is excessively muddy. Fee is 3,100 JPY or 3,400 JPY without meal. For reservation, please call 058-262-0104 ...