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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. -
THE ROYAL EXPRESS ～HOKKAIDO CRUISE TRAIN～
THE ROYAL EXPRESS is a luxury train designed with a combination of traditional Japanese woodworking techniques with other distinct features. The train and a private bus will take you on a tour through the rich nature of Hokkaido. Along the way, you can relish in a culinary course prepared by a Hokkaido chef as you listen to a live violin accompaniment, or you can go on an excursion to experience some of Hokkaido's nature, farms, and ranches.
The three options are:
HOKKAIDO CRUISE TRAIN: A lavish combination of Hokkaido’s nature, food, and culture
HOKKAIDO 5th ANNIVERSARY CRUISE: A combination of sightseeing in the Lake Shikotsu area and canoeing on the headwaters of the Kushiro River
HOKKAIDO: JOURNEY TO JAPAN’S NORTHERNMOST POINT: A trip to Wakkanai, the northernmost point of Japan -
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. -
Shikotsu-Toya National Park Premium Private Early Morning and Evening Kayak Tour Carbon Neutral Clean Diving Tour Ice Palace Nanajo Waterfall Premium Night Tour
This is a premium, completely private tour of Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaido.
Clear kayaking is a daytime activity, but on this premium tour, you will be out there at night or in the early morning.
Watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee as you float on the caldera lake. If the wind is calm, venture out onto Lake Shikotsu and revel in the luxury of having the lake all to yourself before the crowds arrive. Enjoy the clear water while listening to the birds singing around Lake Shikotsu and the headwaters of the Chitose River. In the evening, see what the lake looks like with a nigh-vision scope. You may encounter some of Hokkaido's unique wildlife, such as Ezo deer and Ezo red foxes, and in the summer months, you can see fireflies glistening in the air.
By joining forces with local communities, the Clean Diving Tour will take you to remote locations that are usually under restricted access.
Participants must hold a diving license to perform underwater cleaning activities.
Immerse yourself in the clarity and mysterious beauty of the Lake Shikotsu's waters while taking part in underwater cleaning activities.
Participants will spend the day working to preserve the environment and will receive a certificate of appreciation documenting their activities.
The Nanajo Waterfall Night Tour takes participants to Nanajo Waterfall, which is not accesible by car without a forest entry permit, to observe the ecosystem of plants and animals with a simple-to-use night-vision scope, so as not to disturb the wildlife.
During midwinter, the frozen Nanajo Waterfall will be illuminated. Enjoy winter in Hokkaido by taking in the illuminated snowflakes and the ice sprayed with small, colorful lights.
Be sure to take photos in front of this natural ice palace. -
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. -
Echigo's Three Great Fireworks Festivals & Premium Niigata Dining Experience
This tour offers three special travel experiences. The first offers a private, dedicated viewing area for spectators to watch Echigo's three great fireworks displays by the sea, mountains, and river. The second offers dining packages at temples and other historical buildings, which are produced in collaboration between local and international award-winning chefs. The third is the option to add another special experience to go along with your tour.
The aim of this tour is to provide guests with a memorable, behind-the-scenes look at Japanese cultural traditions and cuisine.
[Special Fireworks Viewing]
- July 26 (Fri.): Japan's most beautiful fireworks display over the sea｜Gion Kashiwazaki Festival Sea Fireworks
- August 2 (Fri.), August 3 (Sat.): River fireworks｜The Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks Show
- September 13 (Fri.), September 14 (Sat.): Mountain fireworks and "yonshakudama," the world's largest firework｜Katakai Fireworks Festival, Asahara Shrine Autumn Festival Dedication Fireworks
[Premium Dining]
- July 26 (Fri.): Restaurant Seroja (#31/Asian's 50 Best Restaurants) Chef Kevin Wong at Important cultural property old Hasegawa family housing
- August 1 (Thu.): South Korea's Top Chef Jeong Kwan at Chofukuji Temple (est. 1502)
- September 12 (Thu.): European Chef (TBC) at Historic Iizuka-tei Garden, Shukoen -
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. -
Rebun Gastronomy Tourism
Rebun Island is Hokkaido's northernmost island, and it is built on a history of fishing and trading. This private tour is interspersed with gastronomic experiences to allow participants to experience the unique terroir (the combination of climate, soil, and landscape and how it affects farming) of the island.
Rebun Island has undergone many changes over the years, from the Jomon Period 4,000 years ago, then the Okhotsk Culture Period 1,500 years ago, the Ainu Culture Period 400 years ago, and the Frontier Period 150 years ago. Despite the changes, the unique lifestyle of living in harmony with nature in this region is still alive and well to this day. While the history of the island can be seen in its fishing and trading, it's also important to keep in mind a sustainable future. This program combines many layers of context into a single dining experience, which offers deep satisfaction, bliss, and new insights.
What to expect:
(1) The ultimate way of appreciating nature via dining, based on the terroir and island time: Enjoy world-class, top-quality seafood in a stunning location unique to this remote island with a BBQ-style multicourse meal produced in collaboration with a Michelin-starred chef and a local fisherman. Take your island time slow with this ultimate "nature dining" experience.
(2) A walking route that uniquely combines interactive gastronomy and trekking experiences: The story of Rebun Island is long, with a symbiotic relationship with nature that was born from a life of fishing and trading. Enjoy a full walking route that incorporates trekking, stargazing, and a culinary excursion in the field of a national park to appreciate the ongoing ancient lifestyle and philosophy of Rebun Island. -
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