Traditions
Area
Season
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Marvel at Mother Nature at Fukushimagata Lagoon: A Private Cultural Experience and Tour
Niigata Prefecture is famous for its delicious rice and sake. Niigata City, the prefecture’s capital, is home to a vast expanse of rice paddies, an iconic symbol of the plains of Niigata. It also contains another iconic landscape of Niigata: the lagoon. The Fukushimagata Lagoon of present-day Niigata City gave rise to a lifestyle and culture that was inseparable from the lagoon.
Now you too can experience the unique lifestyle and food culture of this region through interactions with local fisherfolk and storytellers.
Try some snacks made from unique ingredients obtained by lagoon fishing paired with sake produced by one of the local breweries, and chat with local residents around the warm fire of a sunken hearth.
The Fukushimagata Lagoon is also a favorite stop for rare bird species such as white swans and bean geese, a designated Natural Monument of Japan. Watch the wildlife fly around the rice paddies in the early morning with a local ranger guide.
Main contents of the tour
(1) Special lagoon cultural experience: Board a traditional wooden boat and try your hand at fishing with active lagoon fishermen. Try traditional cuisine made with ingredients caught in the lagoon and paired with Niigata sake while chatting with local residents around a sunken hearth.
(2) Early morning birdwatching: See the rare wild birds that flock to Fukushimagata Lagoon, includings white swans and bean geese (designated Natural Monument of Japan).
(3) Special sake brewery tour in Niigata: Try sake pairings of leading Niigata sake varieties (*includes a souvenir Niigata sake cup) -
Saiku Cultural Art Festival 2024 SAIKU CULTURAL ART FESTIVAL 2024
The National Historic Site of Saiku was once the residence of the Saio, unmarried female members of the Japanese Imperial Family who served nearby Ise Shrine. The site has been protected as sacred land by local residents, and is where the prayers of the Saio have been passed down to the present day. This year's Cultural Art Festival will be held across the entire site, allowing visitors to experience Japanese history and culture alongside various art forms.
September 15, 2024: Matsusaka beef BBQ and balloon glow
September 16, 2024: View the historic site from the sky on a tethered hot air balloon, featuring the spectacular sight of art formed by 2,000 lights
November 2–3, 2024: Project mapping of ancient Japanese landscapes onto the historic site's reconstructed Heian period (ancient Japanese) structures
November 4, 2024: Traditional Noh theater screening of a play set in the Saiku palace complex
December 15, 2024: Saiku Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Transform into a yokai spirit from Japanese folk tales in this special night experience. No preparation necessary.
In addition, visitors may enjoy activities such as a digital art night banquet at a rented-out museum or praying with the Saio. Each program features special culinary experiences, including boxed bento lunches inspired by ancient Japan, full courses of creative French cuisine, and party menus prepared by local food coordinators.
Enjoy Japanese history and culture at the Saiku Cultural Arts Festival in the town of Meiwa, Mie Prefecture. -
HIDAKA TRAIL DAYS
Mount Apoi, located near Samani in eastern Hidaka, Hokkaido, features some of the world's most unusual geological features and is home to many endemic species. It is treasured as both a premier hiking spot and a place of scientific study.
In June 2024, the Hidaka Mountain Range, including Mount Apoi, and Cape Erimo were designated as Japan's largest national park.
To celebrate this designation, we are hosting the park's first outdoor event!
The event will showcase outdoor brands that are highly popular among Japanese hikers.
Don't miss the chance to come and try unique and exclusive gear that is not available overseas.
The local conservation society will offer Ainu cultural experiences at the event. Try your hand at making trail food using local ingredients, test-ride an E-MTB, and buy local delicacies to take home or enjoy on the spot!
In the evening, three prominent figures in the Japanese long-distance hiking community will talk about long trails while gathered around a bonfire.
Enjoy two days of relaxed interactions with Japanese hikers and celebrate with us. -
Exclusive Access to Restricted Forests, Mountains, Lakes, and Historical Buildings! An educational tour led by specialist guides to satisfy adventure seekers
(1) Mount Usu is one of Japan’s 111 active volcanoes and it erupts every few decades. An eruption in the year 2000 affected residential areas, roads, and national highways. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. On this tour, trek through the remarkable terrain of Mount Usu and visit the rim of the crater, an area that is normally inaccessible.
(2) Learn cornering techniques and bicycle safety under the instruction of experienced adventure cycling guides as you tackle a dangerous and challenging downhill ride on narrow, steep slopes. This is an experience that would be nearly impossible with a regular rental bicycle, made possible using high-performance e-bikes. A support vehicle will be on standby to help participants take on the challenge.
(3) Cape Kamui is usually closed at night, but this exclusive tour offers a rare opportunity to experience the sunset, fishing lights, and the moment the lighthouse is lit after the gates have closed to the public. Enjoy this luxurious and premium experience immersed in the tranquil and quiet atmosphere of the night.
(4) Visit the Ainu Culture Museum to learn about the traditional tools used by the Ainu people in their daily lives and the things they foraged from the forests and rivers. Then, take a walk through the forest with Ainu guides as your storytellers, and immerse yourself in the past, present, and future of Ainu life, exploring the Ainu's deep connection with the forest.
(5) Cross the frozen Lake Nukabira with snowshoes or on a fat bike. This is an experience only available for about one month in winter. The feeling of the wind as you traverse the ice is a rare and unique experience that can only be had in Hokkaido at this time of year. You can also see the Taushubetsu River Bridge, which appears on the frozen surface of the lake when the dam's water level is low in winter. -
A New Nighttime Economy of Food and Myth in Aoshima, Miyazaki
This tour is an opportunity to try special foods and drinks, as well as traditional culture on the miraculous island of Aoshima. Surrounding the island, which has a circumference of 1.5 km, are irregular, visually pleasing rock formations created over the course of 6 million years. The island is covered in subtropical vegetation, the northernmost of its kind in the northern hemisphere, with scenery that makes you feel like time seems to have stood still.
On Aoshima, you will be able to enjoy a Miyazaki Prefecture gastronomy course prepared by a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can also enjoy special cocktails made by a bartender named in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2022. Nature, culture, and you. Enjoy a night where everything comes together in a timeless moment.
Aoshima by night: TIMELESS MOMENTO Menu
- Special dinner and cocktails
- One Plate・One Drink A moment to experience the charm of Miyazaki with all five senses
- Guided night tour of Aoshima Shrine
- Japanese calligraphy experience
Key players
Kojiro Kashiwada: Owner and chef of Kasane in Akasaka, Tokyo. Michelin-starred since 2011. Will serve creative Japanese meals that evoke the island’s culture and traditions.
Shuzo Nagumo: Owner of SBAR (Asia Top 50). Nagumo is one of Japan's foremost mixologists, and his cocktails made with local Miyazaki Prefecture sake have proved a game changer.
Yasutaka Nagatomo: Until 1737, only priests were allowed to set foot on the mysterious isle of Aoshima. The chief priest himself will guide you through the history, culture, and sacred kagura dance rituals of Aoshima.
Satoshi Iwao: Highly praised for his 'shodo' performances, Iwao became a qualified instructor at the age of just 16, though he did not begin to work professionally as a calligrapher until the age of 29.Performing on the streets of Miyazaki, Japan, Iwao has also performed in Paris - exhibiting at the Japan Expo Paris in both 2018 and 2019. -
A Day to Experience the Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Ritual Bonfires
The Kyoto Gozan Okuribi (lighting of ritual bonfires on the five mountains of Kyoto), which light up the summer in Kyoto along with the famous Gion Festival, has long been appreciated for its dynamism with large, blazing Japanese characters written with fire on the mountainside. The Gozan Okuribi event was not originally intended as a visual spectacle, but rather to see off the spirits of ancestors as they return to the afterlife at the end of their visit back to this world during the Bon Festival. For this reason, the five mountains where the bonfires are lit are considered sacred, and the public is not permitted to enter them, especially on days when the fires are lit.
For the first time ever, visitors will be able to go to the mountainsides on the day of the event, and experience the history, origin, and customs of each mountain, as well as observe the fire beds, so that they can learn more about the Kyoto Gozan Okuribi ritual. The same evening, visitors will also stop by the former Shimogamo Villa of the Mitsui family, an Important Cultural Property, and the Komai Residence, a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Both facilities will be booked out exclusively for tour participants during times when they are normally closed, so that they can witness the actual lighting of the bonfires (from both facilities, you can see the lighting of the huge, blazing characters) alongside commentary from expert guides.
There is also the Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Stamp Rally, which involves visiting shrine facilities and collecting a special red stamp at each of the Kyoto Gozan Okuribi mountains. The stamp rally is held in cooperation with cab operators and commercial facilities, and it will give participants various opportunities to experience and learn more about the Kyoto Gozan Okuribi ritual bonfires. -
A Gongen Noh Experience Limited to Overnight Guests: Special Noh Theater Performance at a World Heritage Site & Workshop to Learn About Noh with a Living National Treasure
- This year, a Noh performance limited to an audience of 100 people will be held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Yoshino's registration as a World Heritage Site.
- Participants attending the Noh performance will be able to witness the special viewing of Kongo Zao Daigongen, the largest ""hidden"" Buddhist statues in Japan, which are held in Zaodo Hall at the National Treasure and World Heritage Site, Kinpusenji Temple.
- At night, Zaodo Hall at Kinpusenji Temple will be privately booked out for staging Noh, a traditional Japanese performing art which is UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It will be performed by Living National Treasures Bunzo Otsuki and Genjiro Okura.
- The Noh play performed will be ""Taniko,"" which expresses the profundity of the Shugendo mountain ascetic faith. This special nighttime performance can only be experienced on this date, in this place.
- On the following day, participants can take part in a workshop to learn the traditional Japanese performing art of Noh theater, taught by Living National Treasure Genjiro Okura and Kiyomasa Kanze. This workshop is only available for the 30 guests staying at Yoshino. -
Get to Know the Gods and History of Nikko through Traditional Japanese Cultural Experiences and a World Heritage Theater Form
Nikko City is proud to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. "The Shrines and Temples of Nikko" is a World Heritage Site that includes not only the beautiful well-known buildings of Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Nikkosan Rinnoji Temple, and Nikko Futarasan Jinja Shrine, but also the cultural landscape formed by the surrounding natural environment. During the quarter century since it was registered as a World Heritage Site, it has been visited by many visitors, both from Japan and overseas. December 4, 2024, will mark the 25th anniversary of its registration. An Executive Committee for the 25th Anniversary of World Heritage Registration was even established to make this commemorative year a more exciting one, with various celebratory plans underway. Visitors will enjoy experiences linked to the historical significance and background of the various shrines and temples in Nikko, as well as traditional Japanese performing arts such as Kabuki, and dramatic readings that offer insight into Japan’s modern anime culture.
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Enjoy Ukiyo-e Woodblock Prints and Edomae-Style Sushi After a Private Viewing at the Sumida Hokusai Museum
The tour includes an early-morning private viewing (an experience that is not usually available) at the Sumida Hokusai Museum, a museum established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. During this viewing, a curator and English-speaking professional guide will explain the ukiyo-e woodblock prints on display. Afterwards, a professional folding screen artisan from Tokyo’s only folding screen specialty store will guide you through the making of an ukiyo-e folding screen and give a talk on the history of folding screens used in Japanese daily life and culture. This will be conducted at MARUGEN 100, a less crowded area of the Sumida Hokusai Museum. You'll be able to take home a karakuri-byobu folding paper screen as a souvenir. Later, enjoy Edomae-style nigiri sushi made by a sushi chef from Sumida City, the birthplace of nigiri, using ingredients shipped directly from Toyosu Fish Market. This will be an unprecedented combination of Edo art, culture, and culinary tradition, and a very fun, content-packed experience for visitors to Japan.
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Premium Tour Featuring the Traditional Performing Art of Kyogen at Muroji, A Temple Famous for Extraordinary Autumn Foliage
Avoid the crowds and enjoy a relaxing experience of the superb autumn foliage in Japan's ancient capital of Nara!
Built about 1,400 years ago, Muroji Temple is the only temple of Koyasan that permitted women to visit since ancient times. It is popular as a secluded spot for viewing the autumn leaves in Nara.
This year, for the first time, Muroji Temple will open its main hall—a national treasure normally closed to the public—as a stage for a premium tour that includes a performance of Kyogen theater, one of Japan's classic performing arts, presented by the Izumi school.
In addition to the main hall, visitors will be guided by a priest on a special night tour of the temple grounds, which includes national treasures like the Kondo (main hall) and a five-story pagoda. They will then be treated to a performance of Kyogen by Motoya Izumi, the 20th generation headmaster of the Izumi school, who performs both in Japan and overseas. A special dinner plan showcasing Nara's traditional vegetables (available Nov. 25–26), and a plan featuring a performance by Japan's only female Kyogen performers (Nov. 23–24) will also be available—a fitting performance for Muroji Temple and its strong affiliation with women.
A month-long autumn foliage festival and illumination event will be held starting November 1. Come and enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves and appreciate the essence of traditional Japanese culture.