Traditions
Area
Season
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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. -
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. -
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 -
Luxury Classical Music Tourism Blending natural and cultural assets with classical music in Kamakura and Okunikko (Lake Chuzenji)
Classical Music Collection JAPAN brings classical musicians from around the world to Japan for seasonal concerts in the main halls of some of Japan's most mesmerizing temples and shrines.
Each region has unique cultural experiences to offer its esteemed guests, such as cocktail parties for guests to mix and mingle, and dinners with the musicians where guests can sample some of the finest local delicacies.
This particular event will be held at Kenchoji Temple in late November, and at Chuzenji Temple in late October. Kenchoji Temple was built by the fifth regent of the Kamakura shogunate and is the first Zen temple in Japan. Chuzenji Temple offers a prime vantage point to witness the breathtaking sunset as it casts its golden hues over Lake Chuzenji in the evening. We look forward to you joining us. -
Japan-Korea Dream Team Game
Japan and Korea have faced off against each other many times over the years, so much so that even matches held all the way back in 2006 and 2009 are still celebrated as historic events to this day.
Now, for this once-in-a-lifetime event, a team of these legendary players will break out their mitts and come out of retirement for one final game in Hokkaido.
This event is set to deliver an unforgettable experience for baseball fans from Korea, Japan, and beyond.
The match will be played in the world-renowned, cutting-edge ES CON Field Hokkaido stadium, which first opened in March 2023.
The venue offers an unparalleled match-watching experience unlike anything you've ever seen before.
Want to watch the game while soaking in a natural hot spring? The ES CON Field Hokkaido stadium has you covered with its hot spring and sauna facilities, the first of its kind in the world.
If you'd rather watch the game from the comfort of your own room, the stadium hotel has views that span the entire baseball field, the first of its kind in Asia.
Finally, you can grab a freshly brewed beer in the world's first stadium-side craft beer brewery, complete with its own view over the entire field, a dining area, a viewing booth to watch the game with your four-legged friend, and a play area spanning 1,900m2 for children to get their energy out.
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Niigata Sake Fair on Sado Island / Kitazawa Flotation Plant & Niigata Sake Fair 2024
The Niigata Sake Fair is brimming with Japanese sake, beer, wine, and more, all available for tastings on the day for those with pre-purchased tickets. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the event for refills. There are also some exclusive cups to be won in a raffle. There will be food stalls offering local delicacies and treats along with a variety of entertaining programs, including Furumachi Geigi dance, traditional arts, and a vibrant music stage. The event will be held in two locations this year: The Furumachi area in Niigata City's Chuo Ward, and Sado Island, which is expected to be registered as a World Heritage Site. Come raise your glass at Kitazawa Flotation Plant, one of Sado Island's most wondrous and beautiful locations!