Loading...

Jul 3, 2023

Summer 2023 festivals on in your region?

Does your region have a revival of festivals from pre-pandemic times? Are they scaled back or full on?

Living
2 9
Report as spam
TonetoEdo

TonetoEdo

Living between the Tone and Edo Rivers in Higashi Katsushika area of Chiba Prefecture.

Follow

9 Answers

  • genkidesu

    genkidesu

    on Jul 4

    Everything here seems back to normal, I feel like once borders reopened back in October the whole events calendar started to slowly open up again. I haven't noticed any reduction in scale of them, either – at least on paper. Some of the biggest ones out here are in August, so we will see!

    0
  • BigfamJapan

    BigfamJapan

    on Jul 5

    Yes! Most of them are back, but there are still a few that are cancelled. Among them, the biggest surprise is the Kawagoe Fireworks. They were actually on last year, but they have cancelled them this year. Higashimatsuyama are also not having their fireworks again this year. But, at a guess, 93% of summer festivals / fireworks are back! And those that are on, are on as "normal", i.e. pre pandemic style with no restrictions, even going late into the night.

    0
  • TonetoEdo

    TonetoEdo

    on Jul 6

    @Saitama Ah, fireworks! I'm on the Chiba side of the Edo River, so I'm hoping to go to Teganuma Fireworks on August 5th. It's the first time in four years it will be held.

    1
  • Eli

    Eli

    on Jul 17

    The awaodori festival that places in July is back. It seems it will be full on.

    0
  • JTsu

    JTsu

    on Jul 18

    The Minato Matsuri port festival in Shiogama was back on last weekend and was slightly less popular than previous years and the dancing seemed abbreviated, but it was very enjoyable. Next month, Sendai's Tanabata festival will be held and likely will have similar numbers to pre-pandemic times.

    0
  • genkidesu

    genkidesu

    on Jul 19

    @JTsu I was in Sendai for the 2019 tanabata festival and it was awesome! I'm glad to hear it seems like it will be back to the pre-pandemic atmosphere this year.

    0
  • BigfamJapan

    BigfamJapan

    on Aug 8

    @TonetoEdo did you get to go?

    0
  • TonetoEdo

    TonetoEdo

    on Aug 8

    @Saitama No, I missed Teganuma Hanabi Taikai. I'll try for the Sekiyado Hanabi Taikai on August 26th. Like Teganuma, it's the first time in four years.

    0
  • JapanRamen

    JapanRamen

    on Jan 15

    When I lived in Gifu, I went to the gifu tejikara fire festival. Watching fireworks rain on essentially naked men carrying the fireworks was quite something. I also got a lot of gunpowder smoke on my face by the time I got home, haha!

    0

Awaiting More Answers

0 Answers

AC in the school gym?

I was wondering does your local school (or the school you work at or the school your kids go to or any school that you are personally familiar with) have air conditioning the gym? My four children are all at different schools this year, and not one of them has AC in the gym. They all have AC in the classrooms now, but as you know, that has only been the case in recent years. I presume all schools have AC in the classroom now? For your reference: https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/BigfamJapan/zKnyR-living_medical_education_saitama_tokyo

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

8 hours ago

5 Answers

How do you celebrate Tanabata?

Do you mark Tanabata? If so, on July 7th or August 7th? Do you do something at home to mark the occasion, be it special food, crafts, storytelling etc? Or maybe you go to a Tanabata Festival at some point during the summer?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Jul 7

12 Answers

What cooling items have you tried, tested and approve?

Cooling towels and / or gel sheets, ice-gel technology, portable mist fans, wearable air conditioners... the list goes on and on. But which of Japan's cooling items actually work? What have you tried and tested and give a seal of approval?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Jul 4

6 Answers

Summer only foods

Are there any foods you only eat in the summer in Japan? Or, if you prefer, foods that you associate with summer? One that comes to mind for my family is somen - we usually only eat somen in summer, with the very odd exception. One of my kids sometimes craves somen when she's feeling poorly! 'Goya' is another. Do you eat somen and goya only in summer or would you eat it at other times of the year too?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Jun 24

4 Answers

Baby Showers in Japan

Yesterday I wrote about "Baby Shower Day". But now I am curious - have you ever been to a Baby Shower in Japan? And if so, was it for and / or organized by a Japanese person or a foreigner? And FYI, in case you haven't noticed it yet, we can now see how many views our posts are getting again! Baby shower post: https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/BigfamJapan/weBpJ-living_saitama_tokyo

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Jun 7

3 Answers

Taking the bitterness out of Goya?

Today is "Goya Day" and as I wrote in my post about it, my MIL is growing some this year so no doubt we'll be given some to cook. I am not a big fan, because I find it unpleasantly bitter. So, following in the same vein as tonetoedo's mentaiko / karako question - what way do you serve goya? Have you any tips for taking the bitterness out of it?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on May 8

5 Answers

Your 2026 food omiyage / souvenir picks?

I know this question has probably been asked several times in the past, but it is also the kind of question to which the answer changes frequently! So, I am curious - what are your top food souvenir picks for 2026? I am going home again soon, and I want to get food omiyage for several people, including the school where my son is about to finish a one-year exchange. I would love to hear your thoughts on the BEST Japanese food omiyage around this year! And / or the food omiyage you buy each and every time you are going home because it's always a big hit? I just had the photo in this post to hand, and it is not a recommendation per se, it's not bad and fits well into a suitcase, but it's not the best strawberry daifuku I ever had.

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Apr 24

6 Answers

What's your favorite 'kushiyaki'?

Just for fun; what type of skewered food do you like best in Japan? Or, if you feel like sharing, what are your top 3?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Apr 11

2 Answers

Movie locations near you worth visiting?

The live action version of テルマエ・ロマエ Thermae Romae (2012) was shot at Nokogiriyama, Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture. It's one of my favourite getaways for hiking, the temple complex, and catching sea breezes. The movie is hilarious and heartwarming. Which Japanese live-action movies do you recommend, and are the filming locations worth a visit? Tell us the original title, English title, the year, and the location.

TonetoEdo

TonetoEdo

on Mar 23

4 Answers

Recent vending machine discoveries?

I always get a little kick out of finding a vending machine that dispenses something other than drinks or ice-cream. I have been seeing an increase in vending machines that sell religious items lately. I also like finding vending machines with unusual or attractive wrapping. Have you come across any unusual vending machines lately? Either vending machines that sell something other than the norm or a vending machine with eye-catching wrapping?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Mar 21

5 Answers

What are our consumer rights in Japan?

Do you know your consumer rights in Japan? And if so, would you be willing to share anything about them? For example, what is the policy on returns? I am very familiar with my consumer rights in my home country, and they are very widely publicized back home, but information doesn't seem to be as transparent or readily available here. Or is that just me?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Mar 15

18 Answers

What do you most associate with Ehime Prefecture?

Today, February 20th, is Ehime Prefecture Day. What do you most associate with Ehime Prefecture, what is the very first thing that comes to mind when I say "Ehime Prefecture"!?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Feb 20