Source: https://mirai-no-mori.jp/2026-imperial-palace-charity-walk/ Mirai No Mori 2026 Imperial Palace Charity Walk REGISTER NOW! April marks a season of transition in Japan. A new school year begins. New routines take shape. And for many of the children and young people Mirai no Mori supports, it’s the start of a new chapter: campers entering a new grade, LITs stepping into high school, and graduates beginning university or their first job. Our annual Imperial Palace Charity

Planning your first trip to a Japanese hot spring? Visiting an onsen is a quintessential Japanese experience, but if you’ve never been, the customs can feel a little mysterious. But don't worry! Onsen etiquette is all about two simple things: cleanliness and respect.

Takayama Festival (高山祭) has been one of the oldest running festivals in Japan. The festival offers a unique experience of Japanese culture with its articulated performance of puppet dolls during the day and a parade of intricately designed festival floats that goes through the night. Along with Gion Festival in Kyoto and the Chichibu Yomatsuri in Saitama, it is known as one of the three most beautiful festivals in the country.

“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.” – Herophilus Health is so easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of life, and we often take it for granted. Yet it is the very thing we have that allows us to do all that we do and love to do. Today, we celebrate World Health Day and the ways science and health can go hand in hand to advance medicine and eradicate di

Every spring, the city of Nikko comes alive with music, color, and centuries-old traditions during the Yayoi Festival (弥生祭). Held for over 1,200 years, this spectacular festival celebrates the arrival of spring and prays for good fortune in the year ahead. Taking place at Futarasan Shrine (日光二荒山神社 ) in Tochigi Prefecture, the festival is one of Nikko’s most treasured cultural events and a wonderful opportunity to experience one of Japan’s oldest living traditions.

Wars. Famine. Water shortages. There are so many issues in the world today that are beyond our control. However, there is one issue that we all can begin to tackle today: food waste. “Households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger, and a third of humanity faced food insecurity. Food waste continues to hurt the global economy and fuel climate change, nature loss, and pollution” (United Nations E

With a goal to create hands-on learning opportunities for students and volunteers to develop real-world skills in event and project management, while simultaneously building a platform for local voices to share their stories, Dr. Joe Hug founded TEDxInnovationU.

Traveling in Japan often means walking over 20,000 steps a day, which can get exhausting. But Japan isn’t only about the excitement and long days of exploring, you can also enjoy a more relaxing side of the country. Imagine soaking in warm water while taking in beautiful views of nature. That’s the onsen experience.