A traditional bonfire festival in Kyoto, western Japan, was held Sunday night on a smaller scale than usual due to the novel coronavirus epidemic. In the Gozan no Okuribi festival, held every year on Aug. 16, firewood arranged in the shape of symbols and kanji ...
Fireworks events and summer festivals are increasingly going digital with new forms of seasonal events emerging thanks to technology.
Despite rainy season's end, Japan's festive summer still chilled by coronavirus
From Akita to Fukuoka, the cancellation of famous festivals and other events is putting a damper on Japan's idyllic summers.
![[VIDE0] With festival canceled by coronavirus, fireflies dance alone](https://cdn.japantimes.2xx.jp/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fireflies-5f03cef95129505ee26e00ab_1_Jul_14_2020_7_42_14_poster-200x200.jpg)
Wakayama theme park gives panda couple bamboo for Star Festival
Adventure World staff prepared Tanabata-themed treats for two pandas who are the parents of nine and expecting another cub.
Rethinking summer in Japan amid a pandemic
Japan struggles to deal with the cancellation of annual seasonal events that serve as a lifeblood for local communities.
An island off the coast of COVID-19 presses pause on tradition
Smaller towns in Japan aren't having to deal with the pandemic directly, but its effects are still being felt on lifestyles as festivals opt to cancel celebrations.
Japan's local traditions and economies take hit as virus forces summer festival cancellations
The forced cancellations of major festivals and fireworks events next summer is a huge disappointment and financial blow to the host towns and cities.
Panel to seek UNESCO listing for 37 Japanese folk performance arts
The Council for Cultural Affairs decided Wednesday to recommend that 37 folk performance arts be added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The 37 traditional performing arts, including Bon odori dancing, that have been passed down for posterity in various parts in the country ...
Sapporo Snow Festival sees plunge in attendance amid coronavirus scare
The annual Sapporo Snow Festival drew 2.02 million visitors this year, down 716,000 from last year amid growing fears over the new coronavirus, the organizer said Tuesday. The number of visitors to the winter event marked a record 2.74 million last year, with Hokkaido gaining ...
Sapporo Snow Festival opens amid coronavirus fears and unusually warm winter
Sapporo's annual snow festival began in the city on Tuesday, amid fears over the outbreak of the coronavirus from China and soaring costs involved in transporting snow to the site amid an unusually warm winter. The number of visitors to the winter event in the ...
Stars throw soybeans in setsubun event at Naritasan Shinshoji temple
An annual bean-throwing event was held Monday at Naritasan Shinshoji, a major Buddhist temple in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, to mark setsubun, the day before the start of spring according to Japan's ancient calendar. On setsubun, people traditionally throw soybeans, chanting "oni wa soto" ("demons out") ...
