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High-speed Japanese festival cart crashes cause two deaths on same day, ignite debate over tradition
- Casey Baseel
Oct 13, 2026 - Tweet
Osaka’s danjiri festivals have existed for centuries, but some are saying it’s time for a reevaluation of the unique custom.
- Japan
- (accident • culture • danjii festival • Danjiri • Danjiri Matsuri • festivals • Matsuri • Osaka • Osaka Prefecture • society)
Six towering historical warrior floats will grace Fukui’s Mikuni Festival for three days
- Krista Rogers
May 19, 2026
This annual procession is the perfect stop for samurai buffs who enjoy traditional Japanese festivals with a warrior twist.
- Japan
- (floats • fukui prefecture • historical • investigation • kabuki • Matsuri • Mikuni Festival • Mikuni Shrine • parade • Sakai • samurai)
Towering lanterns light up the summer sky at Akita’s famous festival
- Elliot Hale
Jul 25, 2025
Watch performers balance spectacular lantern poles on their chins in an unforgettable summer festival.
- Japan
- (Akita • Akita Prefecture • COK • culture • festivals • Kanto festival • lanterns • Matsuri • summer festivals • Three Great Tohoku Festivals • Tohoku • tourism • travel)
Unko Museum Tokyo holds a Japanese poo festival in Odaiba
- Oona McGee
Jul 5, 2024
A scat twist on a Japanese festival.
- Japan
- (cool • events • festivals • fun • funny • hanami • Japanese festivals • Japanese summer festival • Matsuri • natsu matsuri • news • poo • summer • summer events • summer festival • Tokyo • unko • Unko Museum)
Neputa Matsuri gacha capsule toys let you enjoy the famous festival in miniature form
- Oona McGee
Jun 28, 2024
Like holding a Japanese festival in your hand.
- Japan
- (capsule toys • COK • cool • culture • gacha • gacha toys • Hirosaki • Japanese summer festival • Matsuri • models • Nabuta Matsuri • Nebuta • Nebuta Festival • Neputa • Neputa Festival • Neputa Matsuri • SNJO • summer festival • summer festivals • toys • travel)
“Half-naked men only in loincloths” drum battle returns to Hida festival for first time in five years
- Casey Baseel
Apr 18, 2024
Festival of motion and stillness reinstates hours-long drum procession/shoving match.
- Japan
- (cool • crazy • culture • drums • festivals • Furukawa Festival • Gifu Prefecture • Hida • Hida-Furukawa • Matsuri • taiko • video)
Pokémon Japanese summer festival toys to make Happy Meals extra-happy at McDonald’s Japan【Pics】
- Casey Baseel
Aug 8, 2023
Pikachu wants to bring you some matsuri fun and style.
- Japan
- (anime • COK • cute • fast food • food • Happy Meal • Happy Set • Matsuri • McDonald's • McDonald's Japan • Pikachu • Pokemon • summer festival • video games)
Tokyo’s coolest open-air museum gets even cooler with hot summer nights event
- Casey Baseel
Jul 27, 2023
Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum wants to take you back in time to an old-school summer festival.
- Japan
- (architecture • COK • cool • culture • Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum • festivals • history • Matsuri • museums • open air museum • SNJO)
The top 11 Japanese summer festivals, according to travellers
- Oona McGee
Jun 16, 2023
Mark your calendars for these spectacular festivals!
- Japan
- (COK • culture • festivals • Gion Festival • Japanese festivals • Japanese summer festival • Kanto festival • Matsuri • Nebuta Festival • Sendai Tanabata Festival • SNJO • summer • summer festivals • Tanabata • tourism • tourist sites • travel)
Our street food-skipping reporter learns he’s been doing Japanese festivals wrong his whole life
- Casey Baseel
May 27, 2023
He’s one of the few people in Japan who made it to adulthood without trying one of the country’s most popular festival foods.
- Japan
- (COK • festivals • food • Japanese festivals • Japanese street food • Matsuri • Seiji Nakazawa • SNJO • street food • yakisoba)
Goodbye katanuki? Japanese festival game may go extinct thanks to the pandemic
- Dale Roll
Feb 10, 2021
The only makers of katanuki pieces may have to close their doors forever if the pandemic continues much longer.
- Japan
- (business • coronavirus • COVID-19 • culture • festival games • festivals • food • Japanese culture • katanuki • Matsuri • pandemic • tradition)
Mysterious Spirit Boat Procession in Nagasaki and the sandbox tram that follows it【Video】
- Oona McGee
Oct 8, 2020
A night when mystery hangs thick in the air.
- Japan
- (beautiful • bon • culture • festivals • Japanese festivals • Matsuri • Nagasaki • tourism • trains • trams • travel)
Sanrio’s matsuri festival-themed toys and plushes will give you Japanese summer vibes at home
- Katy Kelly
Jul 31, 2020
The cutest product is definitely the goldfish-scooping set. Or maybe it’s the little pouches made to resemble shaved ice?
- Japan
- (Cinnamoroll • cute • festival • Hello Kitty • kimono • Matsuri • My Melody • plush • pom pom purin • Sanrio • toys • yukata)
Get an authentic Japanese summer festival in a box with this crowdfunding project
- Shannon
Jul 10, 2020
Because social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.
- Japan
- (activities for kids • crowdfunding • Japanese summer • Japanese summer festival • Matsuri • social distancing • summer festival)
Hanazono Jinja Shrine: Lanterns, stalls and rakes at annual Tori no Ichi cock festival in Tokyo
- Oona McGee
Nov 16, 2018
Don’t miss your chance to attend one of the biggest cock festivals in Tokyo.
- Japan
- (festivals • Hanazono Jinja • Hanazono Shrine • Kabukicho • Matsuri • shinjuku • shrines • Tokyo • tori no ichi)
2018 Tohoku Kizuna Festival aims to unite the people of northern Japan
- Krista Rogers
May 29, 2018
This “Festival of Tohoku Bonds” continues to pay homage to six of northern Japan’s most important annual festivals all at one time and one place.
- Japan
- (2011 earthquake and tsunami • Akita • Aomori • festival • Fukushima • Iwate • Matsuri • Miyagi • Morioka • Tohoku Kizuna Matsuri • Yamagata)
Japan’s Kodo taiko group creates awesome new performance with 3D sound technology
- Oona McGee
Sep 30, 2016
The stunning sound and visuals in this new clip are designed to transport viewers to a Japanese festival as part of a new website for foreign tourists.
- Japan
- (ANA • awesome • cool • culture • drumming • drums • festivals • Japanese festivals • Kodo • Matsuri • music • performance • sound • stage • taiko • tradition • wow)
Aragehonji breathes new life into traditional Japanese folk music
- Master Blaster
Sep 9, 2016
These days its hard to describe any music as “unique” but Aragehonji certainly fit that bill.
- Japan
- (Aragehonji • festival • Folk Music • Matsuri)
We take a close-up look at some Japanese street food found at summer festivals【Photos】
- Meg Murphy
Aug 17, 2016
From fried noodles to “octopus balls”, what you’ll find at a festival food stall is probably nothing like you imagined Japanese food to be.
Cats appear at Japan’s famous Tanabata Festival in Sendai this summer
- Oona McGee
Jul 6, 2016
The huge streamer decorations that draw crowds from all around Japan will now feature adorable cat characters created by an anime artist.
- Japan
- (animals • cats • cute • cute pets • festivals • Japanese festivals • Matsuri • pets • Sendai • Sendai Tanabata Festival • Tanabata)
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Recent Posts
- Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
- Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
- Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
- Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
- Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Weekly
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more- Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
America’s first-ever permanent One Piece store is now open [Photos]
Tokyo neighborhood adds new “smart trash cans” to deal with increasing amounts of tourist litter
Two Tokyo neighborhoods to gather on bridge and shift their recognized border through tug-of-war
Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
New Era celebrates three decades of Pokémon with new 30th anniversary cap line [Photos]
Pokémon card game’s expansion features art from Fist of the North Star creator- Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
Japanese hoodie for cat-loving gamers will keep you and your feline friend warm and fuzzy [Pics]
Monthly
Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign- Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Yakuza boss sues expressway owners for discrimination against criminals
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
Why people in Japan hardly ever say “sayonara,” and what they say instead
“Sweet sake” with yuzu is coming to Japan’s wonderful world of hot canned drinks this winter
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
Is hamburger patty ramen a case of too many good things in one bowl? Let’s find out! [Taste test]
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
KFC Japan starts selling soft-serve ice cream at select locations, and they’ve even put it in a biscuit
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
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