In early October of every year, Hiroshima Prefecture’s Saijo town (part of Higashi-Hiroshima) lets its hair down for a massive, two-day block party. One of Japan’s three premier sake-brewing locales, Saijo is proud of its history. About thirty kilometers east of Hiroshima City, the town’s brewing industry claims roots reaching back over three centuries. Today […]
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Saijo Sake Festival in Higashi Hiroshima
September 27, 2018 by Matt ManghamTakehara Shokei-no-michi Candle Festival near Hiroshima
September 26, 2018 by Matt ManghamIf you missed the Onomichi Lantern Festival on the 13th, or you were blown away by it and wanted more, the Takehara Shokei-no-michi Candle Festival may be just what you’re seeking. These autumn lantern and candle festivals are increasingly popular around western Japan since they’re such an excellent way to show off a town’s historic […]
Onomichi Lantern Festival Near Hiroshima
September 26, 2018 by Matt ManghamOnomichi’s Lantern Festival (Onomichi Akari Matsuri) makes for a perfect way to see this jewel of a small city and its historic temple district. Some 30,000 paper lanterns light the way along a path which carries you past some of the town’s best sights, laid out (according to the website) along the principles of Feng […]
Ghibli Expo Hiroshima: From Nausicaä to Marnie
August 28, 2018 by Matt ManghamIt’s no secret that one of Japan’s chief exports is its popular culture, and the films of Studio Ghibli rank high with pop culture aficionados around the world. Ghibli’s twenty-one feature films (the Expo includes Nausicaä, which will be controversial to some purists) offer something for everyone, spanning material from the brutal Grave of the […]
Full Moon Tea Ceremony at Shukkei-en in Hiroshima
August 28, 2018 by Matt ManghamTsukimi, or Moon Viewing, is a Japanese tradition going back to the Heian period, when portions of the old Chinese mid-Autumn festivals blended with local practices to create one more reason for the aristocracy of Kyoto to stay up all night. The classic portrayal of the Heian Moon Viewing Party includes courtesans reclining in small […]
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