Fireworks in 2014 (Hanabi Taikai 2014)

Is the rainy season finished in Osaka? It's very hot and humid in Osaka every day.

In Japanese summer, there are a lot of fireworks events. If you are in Japan, you should check the schedule and location. It's very exciting.

Major fireworks events in Kansai:

Osaka
Tenji matsuri
2014/7/25（Fri）19:30～20:50
http://www.tenjinsan.com/tjm.html

PL fireworks
2014/8/1（Fri）19:55-20:50

Naniwa Yodogawa Hanabi Taikai
2014/8/9 (Sat) 19:50～20:40
http://www.yodohanabi.com/

Kyoto
Uji River Hanabi Taikai
2014/8/11（Mon） 19:45～20:45
http://www.ujihanabi.jp/

Kobe
Minato Kobe Hanabi Taikai
2014/8/2（Sat）19:30～20:30
http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/life/access/harbor/kankou/hanabi.html

Shiga
Biwa Lake Hanabi Taikai
2014/8/8(Fri) 19:30～20:30
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/hanabi/outline.html


http://hanabi.walkerplus.com/list/ar0700/
http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2139980310909578701

Summer Sale 2014 has started!

It's very hot and humid in Osaka now and hotter in some places because the summer sales are just starting. For most department stores and shopping arcades it is from around June 27th to July 13th and some places will continue the sales until the end of July.

If you fit Japanese sizes, you'll find nice clothes at a good price!

http://www.hansinkan.com/event/summer-bargen.html

Heisei Osaka Amanogawa Densetsu (event on 2014/7/7)

There will be a beautiful night event in Osaka soon.

The 7th of July is a special day called Tanabata (the star festival).

This festival originally came from China. Two stars, Vega is a girl and Altair is a boy, they loved each other and seeing often and forgot to work so the king was angry and placed them on either side of the milky way and allow them to see each other only once a year on July 7th.

People celebrate their reunion and decorate bamboo with paper ornaments. It's believed that a wish written on the decoration paper will come true.

50000 LED lights will be released between Tenmabashi station to Kitahama station on the Okawa river.


18:00 Opening
19:20-21:00 Release of the lights

Ticket for LED light ball and wishing card (advanced ticket 1000 yen)


http://www.osaka-amanogawa.com/

Map:
http://www.osaka-amanogawa.com/sanka.html

Nakanoshima matsuri (even on 2014/5/3-5/5)

Unfortunately it is raining in Osaka today but it will be fine this weekend.

Nakanoshima is a very pleasant place to visit in Osaka. Every year, there is a festival during Golden Week.
There will be cafes, a play ground for children, a flea market etc.


http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/events/festivals_events/nakanoshima_festival.html


For other information about Osaka, please check out this link!

http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/

Strawberry picking

It is strawberry season in Kansai. If you visit a strawberry farm, you can pick and eat as many strawberries as you want! The admission fee is around 1500 yen.

http://sp.walkerplus.com/ichigo/list/ar0700/

Sumiyoshitaisha in Osaka (event on 2014/1/4)

There are many events in Japan in January to celebrate new year.


On the 4th of January, there is a festival at Sumiyoshitaisha called "Toukashinnji", to pray for a bountiful harvest. A lot of Mochi (Japanese rice-cake) is thrown to the audience by the shrine's priests. These red and white mochi are believed to bring good luck. The competition is very hard so it is almost impossible.


About 3 minutes walk from Nakai rail way "Sumisyoshitaisha" station.
http://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/access/train.html

Seiji Fujishiro's silhouette exhibition in Osaka (event on Sep 14th to Nov 24th)

Seiji Fujishiro (89 years-old) is a world famous Kirie (cut out art) artist in Japan. His works is so delicate and he creates fantastic worlds. There are many sites introducing his works but they didn't show up as beautifully as they are in reality. It is very hard to explain with words how wonderful and moving his works are, so if you are interested in his art, you must go and see it for  yourself and not rely on just photographs.

http://www.osaka-c-t.jp/event/fujishiro/
 
Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVGq_nweYRI

Period: 2013/9/14 (Sat) - 11/24 (Sun) 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Place: Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan (next to Kaiyukan)

Access: 5 minutes walk from exit 1 or 2 at Osakako station, Chuo line, Osaka subway

http://www.ktv.jp/fujishiro/outline.html#access
 
Fee: 1500 yen/adult, 1300 yen/high school and university student, 800 yen/elementary and junior high school student

Autograph-signing session：
9/28（Sat）、9/29（Sun）、10/26（Sat）、10/27（Sun）、
11/2（Sat）、11/3（Sun）、11/23（Sat）
from 1:30 pm

Tempozan World Performance Festival in Osaka (event on from Sep 14th to 16th , 2013)

The Tempozan World Performance Festival will be held in the Tempozan Harbor Village over 3 days in the middle of this month. There will be 50 performers in 36 group and is free to watch.

Tempozan Harbor Village is a 5-minute walk from Osakako station, on the Osaka subway Chuo-line, or just a few minutes walk from Kaiyukan West Pier, by the Captain Line, approx 10 minutes from Universal City Port.

Date: 2013/9/14 (Sat) - 9/16 (Mon, holiday)
Time: 11am - 6pm

Location: Tempozan Harbor Village
http://www.kaiyukan.com/language/eng/location/index.htm

Event info:
http://www.kaiyukan.com/thv/marketplace/event/2013/08/-2013.html


Captain Line:
http://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/eindexnew.html
http://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/etimetable/etimetable1309-10.html


<There are other facilities you can enjoy!>
About the Osaka Bay area:
http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/area/bayarea.html


Osaka Aquarium "Kaiyukan"
http://www.kaiyukan.com/language/eng/index.htm

Tempozan Marketplace
http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/search/detail/sightseeing_514.html


Tempozan Ferris Wheel
http://www.kaiyukan.com/thv/ferriswheel/


The Santa Maria:  Day and night cruise
http://suijo-bus.jp/language/english/santmaria.aspx

Osaka Half Marathon (entry starts 10 am Sep 21st, 2013)

The number of marathon runners is increasing in Japan. You'll see many people running in the city especially around Osaka castle. For more than 30 years, the Osaka International Women's Marathon has been held in January and the next will be on Jan 16 (Sun) 2014.

On the same day, a half marathon will be held along side the International Women's Marathon. Both women and man can participate in the half marathon.

Official HP:
http://half.osaka-marathon.jp/

Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair 2013 (event on Sep 7th & 8th, 2013)

If you like Japanese manga or animation, you must go to Kyoto. There is a Manga & Anime exhibition which is biggest in Western Japan.

9/7(Sat)  9:00 - 17:00 (final admission time: 16:30)
9/8(Sun)  9:00 - 16:00 (final admission time: 15:30)

￥1,000 (for an adult)

Miyako Messe (Kyoto-shi Kangyo-kan) near Heian Jingu, Kyoto International Manga Museum and some other places


Details are on the following site:
http://www.kyomaf.jp/en/index.html

36th Japan International Birdman Rally (on TV Sep 4th, 2013)

Every summer, a human-powered aircraft competion is hold on Lake Biwa in Shiga. People leap off the stage and compete the longest flight time.

9/4 (Wed) from 19:00 (Channel 10 in Osaka, Yomiuri TV)


http://www.ytv.co.jp/birdman/