9/14/2026 · 6 min read · culture
Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto on May 15 in kimono: the Heian court procession route from the Imperial Palace to Shimogamo and Kamigamo, viewing spots and what to wear.
9/14/2026 · 7 min read · culture
Wear a kimono or yukata to Gion Matsuri in Kyoto: Yoiyama evening timing, the Yamaboko float route, crowd tactics, and how to change near Kiyomizu.
9/14/2026 · 6 min read · culture
Hina Matsuri (Girls' Day) on March 3 in Kyoto in kimono: doll displays at the Doll Temple, the Shimogamo floating-doll rite, sweets and a plum-season walk.
9/14/2026 · 7 min read · culture
Kyoto's Jidai Matsuri on October 22 in kimono: the 2,000-person costume parade explained era by era, the route to Heian Shrine, and where to stand.
9/14/2026 · 6 min read · culture
Kimono in Akita: Kakunodate's samurai street and weeping cherries, Kanto lantern festival nights, Senshu Park, Lake Tazawa, seasons and how OlaChill fits in.
9/14/2026 · 6 min read · culture
Kyoto's Hanatouro lantern festival has ended, but the lanes still light up each spring and autumn. A lantern-lit kimono evening in Higashiyama and Arashiyama.
9/14/2026 · 6 min read · culture
Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa on the third weekend of May: the mikoshi schedule, where kimono works and where it does not, and how to time your rental.
8/8/2026 · 8 min read · events
Year-round major matsuri guide: Kyoto Gion in July, Aomori Nebuta in August, Awa Odori, Kanda Matsuri, and Sapporo Yuki Matsuri, plus expert festival tips.
5/4/2026 · 5 min read · events
What the Aomori Nebuta Festival is like in early August: the glowing floats, how to join in as a haneto dancer, getting there from Tokyo, and where to stay.
5/4/2026 · 6 min read · events
A practical guide to Tokushima's Awa Odori in mid-August: the dance styles, paid stages versus free streets, joining a niwaka-ren, and getting there from Osaka.
5/4/2026 · 5 min read · events
How to enjoy the Takayama Festival in April and October: the ornate yatai floats, karakuri puppets, the lantern-lit night parade, access, and where to stay.
4/20/2026 · 6 min read · events
A complete guide to the Akita Kanto Festival 2026, one of Tohoku's Three Great Festivals, held annually from August 3-6 in Akita City, Akita Prefecture. Detailed explanations of the exquisite skill of balancing approximately 230 giant Kanto poles on the forehead, waist, and shoulders, viewing spots, paid seating, and access.
First-timers: Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka Golden Route for 7 days. Been before? Try Hokkaido in winter or Okinawa in summer — totally different vibes.
Read more →Tokyo blooms ~5 days before Kyoto. Safest play: Tokyo in early April, then head south to Kyoto the second week for late bloomers at Arashiyama.
February for Sapporo Snow Festival + Abashiri drift ice. July for Furano lavender + Biei green fields. Skip May — still cold, low scenery payoff.
Read more →2 days is plenty (Dotonbori, USJ, Osaka Castle). Better yet, use Osaka as a base for Kyoto/Nara/Kobe daytrips — hotels ~30% cheaper than Kyoto.
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