Nature & the Outdoors
Area
Season
-
Dinner Show Featuring Gagaku Court Music by Hideki Togi and Japanese Cuisine with an Illuminated Mikazuki Falls
Kusu, Oita Prefecture, will host a special tour based around the theme of “The Legend of Mikazuki Falls,” a Heian-period tale of true love in Kyoto. This tour offers abundant attractions for international tourists seeking to experience what makes Japan unique.
For two days, there will be dinner shows featuring live performances of gagaku ancient court music by Hideki Togi at Arashiyama Taki Shrine during the mid-autumn Harvest Moon, when the full moon shines brightest in the clear night sky. The Togi family have passed down gagaku court music from generation to generation since the Nara period 1,300 years ago. Hideki Togi, who inherited this tradition, has performed at court ceremonies and gagaku concerts held at the Imperial Palace throughout his career. He has also played a large role in promoting traditional Japanese culture and encouraging international goodwill. Sushi Kappo Yamanaka, a famous restaurant frequented by food connoisseurs from all over Japan since its opening in 1972, provides the cuisine for dinner shows. The seafood used for their Hakata sushi is procured from the Genkai Sea and other nearby coastal waters and is carefully selected by the restaurant's owner. The chefs will spare no expense in preparing your meal for this gem of an event. The dinner will also feature local Kusu Rice, which is the same type of rice specially offered to deities at the Daijosai Festival.
This event, featuring Japanese-style lighting of Mikazuki Falls and Arashiyama Taki Shrine, gagaku court music accompaniments by Hideki Togi, and a collaboration with local restaurants in Kusu town, will continue for the next two months.
The beauty of Mikazuki Falls and Arashiyama Taki Shrine, lit up in a quintessential Japanese style, makes for the perfect view to enjoy with the gagaku court music by Hideki Togi in the background, and is sure to be a hit on social media! This event offers a precious opportunity to experience the true depths and beauty of Japanese culture. Centered around luxurious Japanese tradition and history, this special event will make for unforgettable memories. -
Kamuy Lumina: Lake Akan Forest Night Walk
Nighttime entertainment at Japan's first national park.
Kamuy Lumina: Lake Akan Forest Night Walk is an adventure tour pursuing the world of the Kamuy (spirit-deities) that were inspired by the yukar tale “The Tale of the Owl and the Jay Bird,” a legend of the Ainu people of Akan.
The setting is Lake Akan, located within Hokkaido’s Akan-Mashu National Park. Starting at dusk, this dream-like experience along the Bokke Walking Trail 1.2 kilometers from the lake’s shores will let you get in touch with Ainu culture.
You are invited to the national park’s natural forest to soak up the Ainu worldview of valuing coexistence with nature, but with a twist: this tour features cutting-edge digital art, including projection mapping, scenography (light and sound stage sets), and a unique musical experience with rhythm sticks.
A multilingual app has been developed so that people all around the world can deepen their experience and learn about Ainu culture. Additionally, there are special programs to help you feel at one with the Ainu people, such as a private event where you can don original Ainu hanten robes with patterns approved by the Akan Ainu community.
The Kamuy Lumina is one of a series of Lumina night walks developed around the world by Moment Factory, a cutting-edge multimedia entertainment company based in Montreal, Canada, and Lake Akan is the only location in the world where a national park is being used as the stage. -
TANADA MORNING
Inagura's rice terraces have captivated many, and have also been selected among the “100 Best Rice Terraces in Japan."
Okazaki Shuzo, a sake brewery in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture that has been brewing high-quality sake for 350 years, tends to these fields. This not only provides the brewery with rice for sake, but also preserves the landscape.
Anyone who works the rice fields knows that the Inagura rice terraces are the most beautiful when bathed in the morning light. Now, visitors will have the chance to take in the sights, sounds, and flavors of this landscape as part of a new type of sake tourism by Okazaki Shuzo: the rice terrace breakfast.
Enjoy a private breakfast among the rice terraces, a landscape formed and perserved by sake brewing, while basking in the morning sun. -
Beginners Adventure Tours
[Course A]
・Spectacular views! Zip downhill on an e-bike from Bihoro Pass overlooking a caldera lake (Lake Kussharo) in Akan-Mashu National Park (electric-assisted bicycle tour)
・Kayak along the Wakoto Peninsula, a place of boiling hot spring water, before coming ashore to experience the volcano in Oyakotsu Jigoku
・Eat a special homemade lunch using locally-produced ingredients on the shore of Lake Kussharo
・There is also an additional mini-cycling tour available, going by e-bike through agricultural, mountain, and fishing villages to Sunayu for a footbath in the hot springs
・Our final destination is Mt. Io, a geopark where you can feel the real pulse of Hokkaido's Tomoshiri
[Course B]
・Start from Omagari Lakeside Park, a field used by inmates of the former Abashiri Prison (the sunflower and cosmos flower gardens are at their best in August and September!)
・Take a leisurely ride on an e-bike along a bike path that uses the old Kushiro Line with Lake Abashiri at its side
・The coral grass with their bright red leaves that bloom in autumn at the brackish Lake Notoro are at their best in September
・Cycle by e-bike in the magnificent rural landscapes overlooking Cape Notoro
・Cross a sea relic lake! Kayak on Lake Notoro, Abashiri Quasi-National Park
・Cycle by e-bike to Cape Notoro Lighthouse while overlooking the Sea of Okhotsk where ice drifts and re-emerges!
・Have lunch at Connectrip, a hands-on facility at Lake Abashiri, where you can bake your own pizza! After stretching out the dough and topping it off with your favorite local ingredients, bake it in the stone oven for your very own stone-baked pizza! -
Heian Jingu Tsuki Otoyo: Kyoto Harvest Moon Concert 2024
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration that originated in China to celebrate the fullest and brightest moon of the year. It is now celebrated with great enthusiasm in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and many Southeast Asian countries. This year, the festival falls on August 15, as per the lunar calendar. Traditional "moon-viewing parties" will be hosted this October in the modern setting of Kyoto’s Heian-jingu Shrine. The Daigokuden (outer hall of worship) will be lit up in the background for special live performances by talented musicians to embody the elegant and romantic time that is mid-autumn.
■ Dates: October 12 (Sat.) - October 14 (Mon.)
■ Admission: All seats reserved, advance purchase 8,000 yen / 25,000 yen with meals included (scheduled/admission date designated)
■ Performer: October 12 (Sat.): Hiromi Go October 12 (Sun.): Erika Ikuta October 14 (Mon.): NEO PIANO
[Special Gift for Visitors: Original Japanese Sweets]
This tradition of admiring the moon originates in China. There, they serve round mooncakes in the shape of the full moon. The Tsuki Otoyo Kyoto Harvest Moon Concert represents East Asia's shared culture of affection for the moon. Original Japanese sweets will be handed out to all who join in on the festivities.
[Plan with Dinner]
Enjoy an exquisite dinner at Rokusei, a restaurant located near Heian-jingu Shrine. Savor their Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine which embodies the culinary culture of Kyoto cultivated over its long history.
Time: 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. each day (concert begins at 7:00 p.m.)
Details: Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine -
Tour of the Suzuka 8 Hours Road Race with VIP Activities
The Suzuka 8 Hours race will take place on July 20 and 21. There are two types of exclusive tours on offer for those wanting to enjoy the race.
The Hospitality Package spans both race days and allows guests to watch the race up close and in person in an exclusive mobile showroom set up directly beside the course for an exhilarating and immersive experience. The local restaurant Kakiya will be offering sukiyaki with Matsusaka beef for this event, and there will be opportunities to meet the riders and coaches of Ducati Team Kagayama, one of the teams competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours race.
The Touring Package is a limited-number set package which includes everything from the Hospitality Package, as well as a few exclusive extras. On July 18 and 19, participants will travel by motorcycle to Iga Ueno, Ise Shrine, and other tourist spots around Mie Prefecture. On July 20, participants will ride on the actual race course of Suzuka 8 Hours. Finally, on July 21, participants will get an exclusive look at the race behind the scenes. -
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. -
Spectator Seating and Event Plans for Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2024 Fukuoka Stage in Okagaki Town (Date of race: October 14, 2024)
The Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2024 Fukuoka Stage (Okagaki Side) will take place on October 14, 2024, and there is an array of options for watching the race. Spectators can cheer the race on at event venues set up at various areas around the circular course, where there will be comfortable seating and as well as other ticketed options available.
(1) Spectator Seating With Overnight Accommodation: Reserved box seating around the course. Accommodation will be near the race venue.
*This option includes the Event Passport in Plan (4).
(2) Spectator Seating Only: Reserved box seating around the course.
*This option includes the Event Passport in Plan (4).
(3) Accommodation Plan: Watch the race from the comfort of your own suite at a hotel located along the course.
(4) Event Passport: Includes discount vouchers for food, drink, and merchandise.
(5) After Race Party: Mingle with some of the riders after the race at a dinner party.
Teams scheduled to participate in the dinner party are VC FUKUOKA from Fukuoka Prefecture, Sparkle OITA from Oita Prefecture, Astana of UCI WorldTeams, EF, and other winners of four different prizes. This plan includes the cost of accommodation and shuttle service to and from Fukuoka City or Kitakyushu City. Tickets for this event are limited to 100 people. -
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.