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January 2019
Momote-sai
Ritual firing of the first arrow at Omote Shrine on Miyajima is held on January 20 every year. Click here for more info and pics.">Click here for more info and pics.
Find out more »English Kagura Experience
Spectacularly entertaining local folk art with English language support and great photo opportunities.
Find out more »Ōbukucha Tea Ceremony at Shukkeien Garden
A chance to enjoy traditional new year's tea in the tea house in Shukkeien Garden. Made with pickled ume plum, black beans and Japanese sanshou chillis, Ōbukucha is drunk in the hope of warding off ill health over the coming year.
Find out more »February 2019
Night Museum Sake Tasting & Kimono
Warm up with some hot local sake and view enjoy some impressionist masterpieces while dressed in kimono at the Hiroshima Museum of Art.
Find out more »Setsubun-sai at Daisho-in, Miyajima
Every year on February 3 (Setsubun) a few thousand people crowd into the precinct in front of Daisho-in Temple on Miyajima for bean throwing, taiko drumming and to try and grab a bag of lucky mochi chucked into the crowd by lucky men and women, toshi-otoko and toshi-onna, with the same Chinese zodiac sign as that of the coming lunar year. See videos of this event and read more about Setsubun in Hiroshima here.
Find out more »Setsubun-sai at Saikoku-ji, Onomichi
Lucky beans, mochi rice cakes, mikan oranges and lucky tickets for prizes thrown out into a large crowd after rituals to banish evil spirits and welcome in good fortune at Saikoku-ji Temple in Onomichi. Read more about Setsubun in Hiroshima here.
Find out more »Setsubun-sai at Sumiyoshi-jinja
Have the smell of 1000 fish heads wafted over you by shrine maidens wielding giant fan to ward off bad luck in this ritual Sumiyoshi Shrine claims to date from Heian times. Read more about and see photos and video of Setsubun at Sumiyoshi Shrine here and more about Setsubun in Hiroshima in general here.
Find out more »Setsubun-sai at Gokoku-jinja
After a cleansing ritual to ward off evil spirits and bring in good luck performed in the shrine building which includes a little bit of bean throwing, the action moves outside and a shrine priest shoots arrows at a big image of an oni demon head. Finally, there is quite a battle to grab bags of lucky beans thrown from the top of a tower erected in the shrine precinct. Some of the bags of beans have lucky tickets attached…
Find out more »English Kagura Experience
Spectacularly entertaining local folk art with English language support and great photo opportunities.
Find out more »English Kagura Experience
Spectacularly entertaining local folk art with English language support and great photo opportunities.
Find out more »Ume-mi Plum Viewing Tea Ceremony
The over 100 plum trees in Shukkeien Garden that blossom in pink and white in February are tantalizing hints that, even though Hiroshima is still in the grip of winter, spring is on its way. Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the Seifukan tea house or indulge in a cup of sweet amazake in the area where most of the plum trees are clustered.
Find out more »March 2019
Night Museum Sake Tasting & Kimono
Warm up with some hot local sake and view enjoy some impressionist masterpieces while dressed in kimono at the Hiroshima Museum of Art.
Find out more »Momo-mi Peach Blossom Viewing Tea Ceremony
Tea ceremonies through the day at this annual tea ceremony at Shukkei-en Garden. Price: ¥600 plus park admission fee
Find out more »Miyajima Hina Doll Festival
Antique hina doll displays in 30 historical residences and shops on Miyajima. Main display locations Miyajima History and Folklore Museum (English speaking guides) Daishoin Temple Nosaka House Yoshida House Konishi House Official Ticket Purchase a ticket at the Miyajima pier for entry to the five main displays Adult: ¥300 15-18: ¥170 6-14: ¥150 Pick up a free event map and directions at Miyajima pier.
Find out more »Night Museum Sake, Kimono & Culture
Enjoy some local sake and view enjoy some impressionist masterpieces while dressed in kimono at the Hiroshima Museum of Art.
Find out more »English Kagura Experience
Spectacularly entertaining local folk art with English language support and great photo opportunities.
Find out more »April 2019
Sakura Cherry Blossom Viewing Tea Ceremony
Annual sakura Cherry Blossom Viewing Tea Ceremony at the Seifukan tea house in Shukkei-en Garden.
Find out more »Fire walking ritual at Daishoin Temple
Photo: Lance Cpl. Benjamin Pryer "Hi-watari-shiki" Fire walking ritual takea place at Daishoin Temple on Miyajima twice a year on April 15 and November 15. Readings from the 8000 verse Perfection of Wisdom Sutra begin at 11am and extravagant Saito-goma rituals begin around 1pm in the temple forecourt with a purification offering to the alter and the chanting of sutras. This is followed by two Buddhist monks circling the area with swords and then shooting 7 arrows into the air…
Find out more »Tea harvesting and tea ceremony
Watch young women pick the leave from the tea bushes in Shukkei-en Garden. Enjoy or cup of tea prepared with the freshly picked leaves free of charge or pay ¥600 to take part in a more formal tea ceremony in one the garden's tea houses. Tea picking is at 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm.
Find out more »June 2019
Rice planting ritual and tea ceremony at Shukkei-en Garden
Re-enactment of a traditional rice planting ritual to wish for a bountiful harvest and tea ceremony at Shukkei-en Garden. The rice planting ritual and related dances performed by the Shinjo Provincial Art Preservation Committee are between 13:00 and 14:45 and the tea ceremonies run from 10:00-15:00. 13:00-13:30 Hayashida music, song and dance performance in the yuunenjyou (有年場) rice field located in the far right corner of the garden as you stand with your back to the entrance. 13:35-13:55 Hayashida music, song and dance performance on…
Find out more »July 2019
Tanabata Tea Ceremony at Shukkei-en Garden
Tea ceremony in Shukkei-en Garden's Seifukan tea house.
Find out more »September 2019
Kangetsu Moon Viewing Tea Ceremony
The end of September is the time for "moon viewing" or kangetsu in Japan and a moon viewing tea ceremony is held in Shukkei-en Garden annually at this time. ¥800 for the (more formal) tea ceremony in a tea house (honseki) ¥600 to take tea in the gardens (nodate) The garden admission fee is also required (adults ¥260) and the garden is open to until 9pm. The neighboring Prefectural Art Museum where the Da Vinci exhibition is currently showing also has…
Find out more »Respect for the aged tea ceremony
Annual keiro-chakai to commemorate Respect for the Aged Day at Shukkei-en Garden in Hiroshima City Center. You're kind of supposed to be a bit on the "experienced" side of things to participate.
Find out more »October 2019
Shirakami-san Autumn Festival
Two nights of Hiroshima Kagura performances, street stalls and wishes for good fortune on Peace Boulevard.
Find out more »November 2019
Ritual Fire-walking at Daigan-ji Temple, Miyajima
Impressive and elaborate ritual that culminates in priests and members of the public rushing across hot coals in front of Daigan-ji Temple, located at the exit from Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima. For more about and photos and video of this fire-walking ritual click here.
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