Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival
Located in Aichi, the Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival is one of Japan’s three largest and most famous Tanabata Festivals, celebrating the one day a year when the celestial lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet.
6 Traditional Japanese Tabletop Games
Stuck inside on a rainy day? Play these classic Japanese tabletop games while listening to the relaxing sound of the drops outside!
Daimon-ji Festival & Floating Lantern Tour
Spend your summer the Kyoto way by participating in two traditional summer events with great cultural significance!
4 Lesser-Known Tohoku Summer Festivals
Head north to see hundreds of riders in samurai armor recreate 1,000-year-old training techniques!
Tohoku's 3 Great Summer Festivals
Head to northern Japan this summer for huge glowing floats, giant poles covered in lanterns and streets festooned with positive wishes for the future.
Yukata 101
What's a 'yukata'? And more importantly, how do you put one on? Better find out before summer festival season arrives!
What is Obon?
Obon is a summer event during which people welcome the spirits of their ancestors back home. It's considered Japan’s most significant occasion next to New Year’s, but the customs followed can vary considerably by region.
What is Tanabata?
Also known as the Star Festival, Tanabata is traditionally held on the seventh day of the seventh month of the old lunar calendar, celebrating the legend of the one day of the year when the deities Hikoboshi and Orihime are allowed to meet.
