Since 2014, World Wildlife Day has been celebrated on March 3rd with the goal to “celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora”(United Nations).  In simple terms, the goal is for us to see the beauty and importance of the animals and plants that make up our ecosystem.  Every animal, reptile, amphibian, and sea creature has a unique role to play, as do the plants that are necessary for their survival and ours.  

The Harbin Ice Festival and the Quebec Winter Carnival are among the most famous winter festivals in the world. But did you know that Japan also hosts one of the largest snow festivals on the planet? Held on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, the Sapporo Snow Festival (さっぽろ雪まつり) welcomes over two million visitors from Japan and abroad every year and rivals its famous counterparts in China and Canada in both scale and spectacle.

As the final month of the year rolls in, many people around the world begin preparing for grand holiday feasts and festive decorations. While lavish Christmas displays are the norm in many countries, Japan welcomes the New Year a little differently: through cleaning.

If you are from a coastal town or a maritime nation that is plagued by earthquakes, it is something that you must be mindful of and prepared for.  Today, as we observe World Tsunami Awareness Day, let’s look at the history and ways we can be prepared.  

As summer fades and cool breezes begin to sweep across Japan, conversations often turn to Jūgoya (十五夜), also called Tsukimi or Otsukimi, meaning “moon-viewing.”

JECO—short for Jaladurgam’s Eco—is my way of saying “this belongs to me, but also to all of us.” Eco, for me, isn’t just the environment—it’s the culture we create around it. I first felt its urgency through Climate Fresk that revealed how deeply human actions intertwine with environmental impact. Later, in Tokyo, I thrived in vibrant climate communities, weekends filled with ideas and energy.

Every September, Japan welcomes one of the most meaningful seasonal markers of the year: the Autumn Equinox (Shūbun no Hi, 秋分の日). Usually falling on September 22 or 23, this holiday officially ushers in autumn. On this day, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west, with day and night balanced in perfect harmony. 

In 1960, after yet another devastating natural disaster, the Ise Bay Typhoon of September 1959, the government decided to create Disaster Prevention Day.  To raise public awareness and disaster prevention knowledge, September 1st was chosen to commemorate the date of the Great Kanto Earthquake.