Setsubun is a festival celebrating the beginning of Spring and is observed on February 3rd in Japan. The festival is based on the Lunar calendar and Setsubun is considered to be a type of “new year” festivity and focuses on welcoming “good luck” while getting rid of “bad luck”. Setsubun is neither wholly Buddhist or…
Tag: spring
Toden Arakawa Streetcars
The Toden Arakawa line is one of two remaining streetcar lines in Tokyo, running from the Waseda University area north before abruptly turning east to end at Minowabashi, in the northeastern part of Tokyo. Although the cars are thoroughly modern, riding them feels like stepping back in time, when conductors greeted people on the streets…
Zombies
When the weather turns nice in Tokyo, the zombies awaken from their hibernation to fulfill their most carnal desire: a walk in Yoyogi Park. Yes, the Tokyo zombies are out for their walk on a Spring Saturday afternoon. The exact date varies from year to year, so you’ll have to keep an eye on local sources…
Chichibu Shibazakura
Every year for about six weeks, a mountainside park about 90 minutes outside of Tokyo turns into a controlled explosion of pink, white and lavender flowers. They are shibazakura 芝桜 , known as phlox in English, and they grow like a carpet of flowers against the mountain backdrop of Saitama. Chichibu is a town in…
桃の花 Peach Blossoms
The poor peach tree is often overshadowed by its more famous cousin, the cherry tree, but observing the peach blossoms in season is probably more delightful and less crowded. However, you may have to take a train to the city of Fuefuki in Yamanashi prefecture, about 2 hours west of Tokyo. We recommend Marukita Hanamomoen (Japanese…
Spring Window Display
The changing seasons in Japan are heralded by retail shops in the content of their window displays. The cherry blossom obviously plays a huge role in representing the coming of Spring, and color palettes often change to reflect the colors of these gorgeous blooms. Pastel shades of pink, off-white and green are traditionally used, and…
365 JAPAN 