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Toka Ebisu Festival – For Success in Business
In the heart of Japan’s Kansai region, as the new year settles in, the Toka Ebisu Festival bursts into life. This vibrant festival, commencing on January 9th and concluding on January 11th, is a beacon of hope and prosperity for businesses and individuals alike. The Deity of Good Fortune: Ebisu Central to this festival is…
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Lucky Bags: Fukubukuro New Year Sales 2020
Welcome to 2020. While most shops across Japan are closed on New Years Day, they open on January 2nd and have massive sales storewide. Walk down any shopping arcade (shotengai) just after the new year and you will see bags of goods displayed out the front. These bags are called fukubukuro or lucky bags in…
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Kobe Luminarie; one of the best illuminations in Japan
Kobe Luminarie (神戸ルミナリエ) is an annual light festival to commemorate the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake that struck in 1995. Held every December, Kobe Luminarie runs for around 10 days. This a free event however donations are appreciated with many boxes for you to drop some money in. The word luminarie is Italian meaning illumination. Every…
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Top 5 Kobe Winter Illuminations 2019/20
As the weather gets colder in Japan the lights come on in cities and towns across the country. City streets, parks, bridges and more all get an LED treatment with gorgeous illumination displays. Here are our top 5 Kobe winter illuminations for 2019/20 season. #1 – Kobe Luminarie 2019 The highlight of any December in…
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2 new Hello Kitty rooms at Amagasaki hotel
For travelers who need their fix of Hello Kitty while in Japan, the Hotel Vischio Amagasaki by GRANVIA now offers 2 Hello Kitty themed rooms. There are just two rooms: the “Vischio Forest Adult Kawaii Room” and the “Let’s Explore Kansai With Kitty-chan Super-Cute Room.” The “forest” room is 20 square meters and designed for…
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B-1 Grand Prix in Akashi; A Food Lovers Dream
The B-1 Grand Prix in Akashi is a gourmet food festival with 55 stalls selling local specialties from all over Japan. This year Akashi is celebrating its 100 year anniversary since establishment of the city and Akashi Castle is celebrating its 400th year. This event is help revitalisation local areas, bring communities together, showcase regional…
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Hyogo in Autumn; A Drive Through the Countryside
Sunday November 10th 2019. On the hunt for some autumn colours and maple leaves we headed off on a family drive from Akashi to Tamba in central Hyogo Prefecture. In this post: Entsuji Temple, Tamba Kosanji Temple, Tamba Toryunada Rock Formations, Kato Hyogo Prefectural Harima Central Park, Kato The drive takes us on National Route…