Tondo Matsuri
Huge bonfires snap, crackle and pop around Hiroshima in the middle of January, sending the hope and dreams embodied in the past year’s votive goods and new year decorations up to the heavens.
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Festivals
Hiroshima Prepares For New Year Under Pandemic Shadow
After gaining a degree of control over the spread of COVID-19 in the autumn, December 2020 has seen a resurgence
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New Year In Hiroshima
See out the old, ring in the new; Hiroshima style.
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Ebisu Taisai Festival
Just before winter takes hold, Hiroshima’s city center is taken over by one more colorful festival, all about good fortune,
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Winter Illuminations in Hiroshima
Large scale illuminations have become a new winter tradition in Japan. Held all over the country, they certainly brighten up
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Samurai Parade to commemorate 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Asano Clan
150 people dressed in period costume parade through Hiroshima city center to commemorate the arrival of the dynasty that ruled Hiroshima for almost 250 years.
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Summer Fireworks Festival Guide
Our guide to as many of the fireworks festivals in the region as we could find!
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Dressing the oxen at the Mibu-no-hanadue ritual rice planting festival
The Mibu-no-hanadaue ritual rice planting festival in Chiyoda, Kita-hiroshima, is the largest and most spectacular of many similar festivals held
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Onomichi Akari Matsuri
On an autumn evening every October, people flock to Onomichi to wander its picturesque streets decorated with thousands of candles.
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Directors Talk Teaching, Collaboration & Inspiration
Stand-out films at the festival for me were the ones with original techniques and story-lines, ones that would stay with
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Pirate night on Innoshima: The Suigun Fire Festival
Finish of your summer at a spectacular celebration of samurai pirate culture on the beach.
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Animation as Lesson in Patience, Focus & Dedication
Another amazing day of insights from artists, directors and story-tellers on how they pursue and find inspiration to create their
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Flower Festival Yosakoi Dance Parade 2018
It was beautiful weather for the Yosakoi dance parade on Children’s Day – May 5th. As always, it was an
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The Saigoku Kaido in Shareo
The Saigoku Kaido (Saigoku Route/Way/Road), was the main overland thoroughfare between Kyushu and Kyoto between from the 8th century up
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Setsubun: demons, beans, fish heads, sushi and screaming children
Although temperatures in early February may make it hard to believe, Setsubun marks the coming of spring. On February 3,
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Oyster Festivals 2019
Yes, the New Year holidays are done and that time of year is now upon us. Yes, it’s oyster season! From
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Nanakusa-no-sekku
“The feast of seven herbs” is a day on which people in Japan customarily eat a healthy seven-herb rice porridge to ensure give the stomach a break from the indulgences of New Year.
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Autumn moon-viewing at Shukkei-en Garden
Scenes from the annual celebratory kangetsu-sai autumn moon-viewing tea ceremonies at Hiroshima’s Shukkei-en Garden.
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Live music, handicrafts and cows!
Steve Jarvis introduces a different kind of countryside fair in eastern Hiroshima prefecture.
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2017 Miyajima Fireworks Festival
Some of our favorite captures of the 2017 Miyajima Fireworks Festival.
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Views of the Miyoshi Fireworks
A compilation of some of the Instagrams of the 2017 Miyoshi City Fireworks display held on August 19 that caught
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August 6, 2017 Hiroshima Day
72 years ago today, US forces dropped a nuclear bomb on the people living, working and studying in Hiroshima. The
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Ji-no-hi Matsuri Giant Umbrella Festival in Ohnan
The main event of this two day festival is groups of locals charging up and down a narrow street with
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750,000 tulips at Sera Kogen Farm
The tulip fileds at Sera Kogen Farm are currently at their best. Many people took advantage of the good weather
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Ujina Port Minato Festa
This annual festival in the park in front of Hiroshima Port in Ujina is held early in March over two
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Snowy Tondo Festival at Gokoku Shrine
Gokoku Shrine’s annual tondo bonfire festival coincided with the biggest snowfall to hit the city in a generation.
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Sorasaya Shrine Tondo Festival
This tondo festival in Honkawa is a nice mix of shrine rite and neighborhood event.
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Christmas Illuminations at Hiroshima Botanical Gardens
The annual “Flower and Light Pageant” illuminations at Hiroshima City Botanical Gardens are some the most Christmassy in the area.
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Yokogawa Zombie Night
Zombie fun in Yokogawa at the second Zombie Night via he wonder of Instagram. The horror continues from 12 noon
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Kirikushi Okagensan
There are several local festivals linked to Itsukushima’s annual Kangensai rituals. One of these is the Kirikushi Okagensan festival. Kirikushi
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