Formerly known as the Nagoya Walkathon and International Charity Festival, the Chubu Walkathon has been showing that you can have fun while helping people since 1992*. Held annually on a Sunday in May, this year's walkathon takes place on May 24, 2026.

“Every once in a while, it might be nice to escape the crowded narrow city streets in Tokyo and see some flowers.” From this thought, I began to plan a trip to try to see the nemophila flowers that bloom for a limited amount of time in April in Tokyo.

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.

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.

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.

For two weeks, from March 1 to 14, the historic temple becomes the stage for one of Japan’s oldest living traditions: the Omizutori Festival (お水取り). This ceremony has been held every single year since 752. That’s more than 1,270 years of continuous history.

If you’ve travelled to Kyoto in the past decade, you may have noticed that at certain times of the year, a soft warm glow lights up temples across the city as it welcomes the night. That’s Hanatouro.

When people hear the word “Chinatown,” most people would immediately think of Yokohama. But did you know there is also a strong Chinese influence further south in Kyushu? Yes, you can find it in the heart of Nagasaki Prefecture.