A million and a half people between Tokyo and Yokohama, and almost nobody stops. What is actually in Kawasaki, and why it is worth getting off the train for.
Featured Post ・ 2026/08/04
Visitors release up to 3,500 LED sky lanterns carrying handwritten wishes into the night sky, accompanied by stage performances and festival activities.
Joyo · 7–16 Aug 2026
A three-floor aquarium inside a Sapporo shopping complex, open until ten at night, with rockhopper penguins, planted tanks, and immersive digital art.
Sapporo
A rare Yamaguchi ritual festival said to date back over 1,800 years, with seven nights of dances around the Oni-ishi stone, towering banners, and lantern-topped poles.
Shimonoseki · 7–13 Aug 2026
04:5718:35Tokyo
Reference rates · 2026/08/11
Every August, Kochi erupts into dance: thousands of performers surging through the streets with clacking naruko, in a carnival that reinvents itself year after year.
9–12 Aug 2026Kochi · ShikokuA summer festival where 4,000 decorated goldfish lanterns cast a spellbinding glow over the town, alongside a spirited Goldfish Nebuta procession.
13 Aug 2026Yamaguchi · ChugokuA major August fireworks festival over the Kanmon Straits, jointly staged by Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki, with over 15,000 fireworks visible from both shores.
13 Aug 2026Yamaguchi · ChugokuA rare Yamaguchi ritual festival said to date back over 1,800 years, with seven nights of dances around the Oni-ishi stone, towering banners, and lantern-topped poles.
7–13 Aug 2026Yamaguchi · ChugokuJapan's most famous traditional dance festival, held annually in Tokushima City, where dancers form groups with distinctive choreography and costumes.
12–15 Aug 2026Tokushima · ShikokuOne of Tokyo's three greatest Shinto festivals, this mid-August celebration centers on water-splashing processions with portable shrines through the city.
15 Aug 2026Tokyo · KantoThe garden and villa of the Shimazu lords at Kagoshima, laid out in 1658 with Sakurajima and the bay borrowed as its scenery.
KagoshimaHot spring resort nestled in volcanic mountains, featuring 13 public baths and traditional ryokan alongside outdoor rotenburo and foot-bath experiences.
Kusatsu · GunmaA sand bath on the shore at Ibusuki, where hot spring water heats the beach and bathers are buried in black volcanic sand.
Ibusuki · KagoshimaA sacred highland at 970 meters on Mount Kirishima's slopes, legendary in Japanese mythology as where the heavenly grandchild descended to rule.
Kirishima · KagoshimaA shrine below the peak of Takachiho in Kagoshima, its vermilion halls of 1715 made a National Treasure in 2022.
Kirishima · KagoshimaA shrine on the coast of Miyazaki whose vermilion hall stands inside a sea cave, with a rock said to have nursed the god born there.
Nichinan · MiyazakiA million and a half people between Tokyo and Yokohama, and almost nobody stops. What is actually in Kawasaki, and why it is worth getting off the train for.
2026/08/04BLEACH Mirrors High just revealed three new Kubo-designed Soul Reapers and a full system trailer. Here's the story, cast, and battle system, explained.
2026/07/18The English guide to Kobito Zukan: what kobito are, the most popular characters from Nabata Toshitaka's field guides, and where to find kobito goods in Japan.
Pandorobo, The Bread Thief, in English: the story of Japan’s beloved bread-stealing character, the picture books, the anime, and Pandorobo merchandise.
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