The Tenjin Matsuri Festival in Osaka is considered one of Japan’s top 3 festivals (along with Gion Matsuri, Kyoto and Kanda Matsuri, Tokyo). The festival honors the deity of scholarship, Sugawara Michizane, and includes a range of lively festivities over 2 days.
The festival starts on July 24 and lasts 2 days. It starts with a ceremony inviting the deity out of the shrine and ends with a spectacular display of fireworks over the Okawa River.
Climbing Mt Fuji is on many travelers’ bucket lists. The iconic peak, which has inspired Japanese art and literature for centuries, is both Japan’s highest and most famous mountain.
The height of Mount Fuji is 12.390 feet (3776 meters) and there are different ways to climb it. There are 4 main routes which differ in difficulty and the time needed to make the journey. The views from the top combined with the sense of achievement make the trip incredibly rewarding.
The Gion Matsuri is the largest annual festival in Kyoto, and the most famous in Japan. Locals and travelers alike fill the streets for this event that is part religious observance and part street fair.
To celebrate its 55th anniversary, Tokyo Monorail will launch a special edition Pokémon Monorail which will connect Haneda Airport with Tokyo. The highly anticipated new train will feature stunning designs from the global franchise including pictures of Pikachu and other loved characters.
Each car of the new train will have a different Pokémon theme based on the different types of characters. The first car will feature Pikachu, Pokémon’s most famous character, the second car will be based around water and ice-type Pokémon, and the third car will display grass-types and other types of characters.
Sumo wrestling is considered to be Japan’s national sport and it’s a huge hit with tourists. It’s a fantastic spectacle which offers unique insights into Japanese culture as it has been performed ever since the ancient Shinto period.
There are many places to see sumo wrestling in Japan though the best way is to catch one of the spectacular sumo tournaments. The competitions normally last around 15 days and feature the biggest and best sumo wrestlers in Japan.
Kansai International Airport (KIX) is one of Japan’s largest and busiest airports. It is located on a man-made island which is about 40 kilometers south of Osaka, Japan’s historical second city.
There are multiple ways of traveling between Kansai International Airport and Osaka including by train, bus or taxi. This guide will explain the various ways you can make the journey and how you can do it with and without your Japan Rail Pass.
