Art & Culture
Area
Season
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Premium Sports and Cultural Tourism Project with Imabari Castle, Japan’s Strongest Castle
Imabari City is centrally located and faces out toward the Seto Inland Sea. It is renowned throughout the world for its beautiful scenery of scattered islets and islands. This area was a key hub for maritime traffic in ancient times, connecting the east and west ends of the Seto Inland Sea. The Murakami Kaizoku pirates, Japan's largest group of pirates, were active in this region during the medieval period. Imabari Castle was built by one of Japan's master castle builders, Todo Takatora, in the early modern period to take back control of maritime traffic. The castle was a crowning achievement of the coastal castle style.
A special stage set against the backdrop of the magnificent and illuminated castle tower of Imabari Castle will be erected for the Kabuki performances. Kabuki, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a combination of traditional Japanese music and dance. Ichikawa Danjuro XIII, one of the leading stars of Kabuki, will give a special performance of one of the definitive masterpieces of Kabuki entitled Renjishi (with English audio guide).
Guests will be treated to traditional Japanese hospitality alongside this brilliant theater performance, with guides dressed in kimono serving limited-edition Kabuki boxed lunches featuring seafood from the Seto Inland Sea. (Boxed lunches and tickets will be sold separately.) -
Tokyo | Intensive Noh Masterclass
Theater steeped in spiritual traditions
Austere, meditative, and steeped in spirituality, Noh Theater is one of Japan's oldest performing arts and a recognized UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. Characterized by masks that carry a multitude of emotions within a single carved expression, Noh performances consist of rhythmic chanting, slow, measured movements, and an iconic stage adorned with a painted pine tree that mimics outdoor structures.
In this Noh Masterclass, you will receive a comprehensive introduction to the world of Noh - from its history to performing styles, masks to costumes - from a 4th-generation Noh performer at his private residences. Walk across the sacred stage, witness performances up close, and experience the indescribable elegance of Noh Theater. -
From Fukushima to the World: Symphony of Peace Interwoven with Fireworks
On Saturday, September 28, the Fukushima Pyrotechnics Association will host the Japan Tourism Agency's subsidized project “From Fukushima to the World: Symphony of Peace Interwoven with Fireworks” at the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum and the Futaba Business Incubation and Community Center. The goal is to invite domestic and international tourists alike to Futaba to experience Fukushima's artistic fireworks, as well as to dispel any misinformation concerning the earthquake disaster and create new tourism material for the town of Futaba.
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Daisetsuzan National Park! Experiential Tour of the Unexplored with Water Activities and Spectacular Views of Taisetsu Dam
You are invited to take part in special water activities at Taisetsu Dam, Hokkaido's highest elevation dam which is set against a spectacular backdrop of nature.
Taisetsu Dam, normally closed to the public, will be offering activities like stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing together with local guides. This event is not merely an outdoor experience. Experiential tours to remote and unexplored areas of the Taisetsu Dam are also available. These adventures in the great outdoors are sure to give all participants unforgettable memories.
Guests can also experience traditional Ainu crafts, watch Ainu dance, and partake in Ainu cuisine during this event. Experience the local Ainu culture and learn about its deep history and traditions.
This event offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience merging nature with culture. Water activities at Taisetsu Dam, adventures in unexplored areas, and Ainu cultural experiences will make for special memories for all participants. -
Tsuzawa Yotaka Andon Festival: Special spectator seating with delicious festive food as impressive lanterns clash
Held every year on the first Friday and Saturday nights of June, the Tsuzawa Yotaka Andon Festival is a historical festival that originated in the Edo period (1603–1867). During this event, illuminated lantern floats assembled from dengaku lanterns, dashi floats, and hanging lanterns crafted with bamboo and washi paper are paraded through the streets at night to the sound of taiko drums and cheering. The main attraction of the festival is the Toyama fighting lantern floats: giant lanterns that are 7 meters high and 12 meters long. The lanterns crash fiercely into one another, and the goal is to break the opponents floats.
Special up-close spectator seating has been made available to watch this powerful clash of lanterns. This unique experience also comes with a meal and beverages, including local sake. The second floor of the Oyabe Tsuzawa Andon Fureai Hall, located near where the clash is set to take place, will be decorated as a dedicated space for this two-day event, allowing visitors to take in the view at their leisure.
Visitors can also tour the town with an interpreter and guide in addition to the lantern float parade. Experience the area firsthand as you learn about the festival and the local community.
Workshops will be held to create lantern art by reusing parts of the lantern floats that have broken off in the collisions. These lantern floats were created especially for the festival, and they are filled with the passion of its participants. While the broken pieces originally would have been incinerated, they are instead recycled for the workshop where they will be transformed into one-of-a-kind artworks that you can take home with you. -
Global Tokyo National Museum Project —DINO-A-LIVE: Dinosaur Grand Night Parade at the Tokyo National Museum—
The Tokyo National Museum houses the finest of Japanese craftsmanship, including the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons picture scroll that served as the inspiration for this event.
The realistic DINO-A-LIVE dinosaurs, too, are a testament to the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship, and will parade around the Tokyo National Museum this autumn. The premier craftmanship and lifelike movement of these dinos have garnered attention from around the world and are bound to impress.
Event-themed merchandise and food services will be available at the venue for an even more fun-filled night. -
SAMURAI Drive - A Journey Tracing the Beauty and Honor of the Famous Warring States Families: Uesugi and Date
This tour takes participants back to (1) the world as seen by the warlords of the Uesugi and Date families, who ruled Yonezawa during the Warring States period, and (2) the world as seen by Uesugi Yozan, the lord of the Yonezawa domain (whom US President J.F. Kennedy called "the most respected politician in Japan during the Edo Period").
(1) See the Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures of the Uesugi family, then travel back in time to the Warring States Period with a fireworks display unlike anything you've ever seen in Japan.
(2) Go on a backyard tour of the traditional food and textile cultures that flourished in the Edo Period by visiting Toko, a sake brewery that has been in business for the past 426 years, and Nitta, a Yonezawa textile company established 150 years ago.
(3) Experience cuisine and hot springs in a way that fuses Japanese traditions with global values. -
Experience the Edo period at night with Edo Wonder Night
Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura is a cultural theme park in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture that recreates Japanese history, traditions, and culture in the Edo period, a period of cultural flourishing that began almost 400 years ago.
The vast 16-hectare museum grounds faithfully recreate the bustling streets of Edo merchant districts, samurai residences, and post-station towns, with cultural experiences, theatrical performances, events, and exhibition halls that transport guests back in time and allow them to experience the historical past.
The fun at Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura does not stop when the sun goes down. The limited nighttime event "Edo Wonder Night" creates a magical atmosphere with town-wide illuminations, traditional cultural experiences, Edo cuisine, and a ninja action show that you will not want to miss. -
Bringing Japanese Arts and Crafts to the World - The Future of the Beauty of Craft: Vessels, Wrapping, and Decoration
This arts and crafts exhibition will be held between two venues in Tokyo and Kyoto to help share Japanese crafts with the world.
(1) Tokyo Venue Dates: July 4 (Thu.) to July 16 (Tue.), 2024 / Venue: TERRADA ART COMPLEX Ⅱ, BONDED GALLERY
(2) Kyoto Venue Dates: November 3 (Sun.) to November 5 (Tue.), 2024 / Venue: Kenninji Temple, Shoin (temple building)
(Admission is free for both venues. However, please note that the Kyoto venue has a separate admission fee to enter Kenninji Temple.)
The exhibitions are under the general supervision of Yuji Akimoto, the director of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. They will offer visitors the opportunity to see works of Japanese art and crafts, especially those from Kyoto and the Hokuriku regions. The Kyoto exhibition in particular will be held in a special space within the temple that is not usually open to the public.
Selected exhibited works will also be available for purchase. -
Private boat cruise to enjoy the Imizu City earthquake relief fireworks and a bamboo-lit Uchikawa River night cruise with lion dancers
[July 28 (Sun.), 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake Relief Fireworks Display: Charter Boat Viewing]
- This historical fireworks display has been held since the mid-1800s. Guests will be able to enjoy the show from a private fireworks viewing on board the sailing ship Kaiwomaru. Highlights include the Niagara fireworks fired from the Shinminato Bridge, which boast the world's largest vertical drop, and the underwater starmine fireworks.
[Uchikawa River Sightseeing in the Early Morning & Evening]
- Enjoy unique ryoshi-meshi (fishermen's dishes).
- Bamboo lighting will be installed along at various establishments along the Uchikawa River as part of earthquake relief efforts. Open-air cafes will also be available.
- Uchikawa sightseeing boats will operate at night with special foreign-language commentary. Guests can enjoy a private lion dance performance by torchlight at Riverside Station Shinminato.
[Exclusive Experiences for Inbound Travelers]
- Fireworks viewing VIP seats on sightseeing boats and the Kaiwomaru (Kimono rentals available upon request)
- Private nighttime lion dance experience (Connect with local residents through the lion dance)
- Glass shrimp fishery tour (Learn about the environmental efforts taken by local fishermen. Watch the sunrise and admire the magnificent Tateyama Mountain Range from Toyama Bay, the world's only glass shrimp fishery. Glass shrimp dishes will be served on board.)
- Exclusive overnight stay in a 150-year-old former merchant house