NATIONAL HOLIDAY & EVENTS IN MAY.
●May 3rd Constitution Day - ●May 4th National Holiday
- ●May 5th Children's Day, which is held mainly for boys.
- ●The 2nd Sun. is Mother's Day
Early March to early May
Sake Breweries of Nada Stamp Rally in HYOGO
Pick up a stamp rally card at the first brewery you visit and collect stamps at the other breweries. There is a map on the stamp rally card for you to follow. You may get a small souvenir when you have collected a certain number of stamps and can qualify for a draw for a larger prize. You can sample the sake at each brewery as well as purchasing some to take home.
TEL:078-322-5339
(Tourism and Exchange Division, Kobe)
May. 2nd
Suma Grand Tea Ceremony in Hyogo
Sumadera Temple
May. 2nd & 3rd. It has a history of 1 100 years or more. The Grand Tea Ceremony is held every year in early summer. Ura-Senke & Omote-Senke alternatively host the tea ceremony.
TEL:078-303-1010
(Kobe Convention and Visitors Association)
Emperor Shomu Festival in Kyoto
Todaiji Temple
TEL:0742-22-5511
May. 3rd to 5th
Sanada Matsuri in Wakayama
It is a festival in celebration for Masayuki & Yukimura Sanada who fought in the famous Battle of Sekigahara (AD 1600).
TEL:0736-54-2019
Nakanoshima Festival
Official Site
http://www.nakanoshima.net
This festival was started in 1973. In 2000 they decided to have everyone take the ECO Challenge by not leaving any trash at the festival.
TEL:06-6367-6272
Children's Festival
Nakayama Kannon Temple in Hyogo
TEL:0797-87-0024
Families can enjoy a small petting zoo, a ride on a mini train or some games.
Nagaokatenmangu in Kyoto
TEL:075-951-1025
People pray for their children to write calligraphy beautifully for Children's Day.
The 2nd Sun.
Wakayama Festival
http://www.wakamatsuri.com/
It is held on the second Sunday in May.
It is about a 20 min. walk from is JR Wakayama Stn. or Nankai Wakayama Stn,
TEL:073-444-0808
Beginning of May
Fuji Matsuri in Kyoto
Byodoin
TEL:0774-21-2861
Uji-shi
The wisteria trees are 250 years old.
When this flower blooms, Byodo-in is crowded with a lot of people.
May. 15th
Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto
Kamigamo Shrine
There is a procession of people dressed in traditional Heian clothing from Shimogamo Shrine to
It was started in the sixth century and is one of Kyoto's major festivals.
TEL:075-781-0010
http://www.kyokanko.or.jp
Mifune Boat Festival in Kyoto
Arashiyama Kurumazaki Shrine
A parade of boats carrying people dressed in Heian clothing float down the river.
This festival was started 1 100 years ago.
TEL:075-861-0039
May. 18th
Kobe Festival
http://www.kobe-matsuri.com/
It was started in 1971 as a festival for Kobe citizens to participate in.
Events are located on Flower Road, The Old Foreign Settlement, Higashi Yuenchi Park, Motomachi, Harborland, Shin-Kobe, etc.
The Main Theme: Greenery, Sea & Love
Catchphrase: Let's enjoy ourselves. The whole town is a stage.
May. 19th
Uchiwa Maki in Nara
Toshodai-ji Temple
Fans are thrown by the priests and are kept as good luck charms for the coming year for whoever catches one.
May 21st-23rd
Antique Fair in Kyoto
Location-Fushimi-ku, Kyoto
Kyoto Trade Fair Center
Take the bus from Takeda Stn. on the JR Kyoto Line or on the Karasuma Subway Line to the Pulse Plaza-mae bus stop.
It is a regular fair where hundreds of thousands of antiques are exhibited & sold. In addition to pottery, handicrafts & kimonos from all over Japan, various antiques are also displayed from
many parts of the world. The fair offers a different perspective on antiques than seen in art museums. Admission free.
The middle of May
Unoha-Shinji in Osaka
Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine
It is a ceremony that celebrates the anniversary of Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine's opening.
There is court dance and music performed on a stone stage. A great number of people attend this festival.
May 24th-26th
Nanko Matsuri in Hyogo
Minatogawa Jinja Shrine
Many visitors come watch the shigin contest (recitation of Chinese-style poems) & participate in the rice-cake scattering event.
Saturday & the final Sunday in May.
Peron Matsuri in Hyogo
They hold dragon boat races in Kobe Bay.
There are a lot of events, a parade & fireworks.
TEL:0791-23-7133
From May to the middle of Sept.
Kamogawa Kawadoko in Kyoto
About 80 restaurants & inns open their patios overlooking the Kamogawa for lunch & dinner.
Everyone can enjoy traditional meals by the river to in the summer.
TEL:075-351-7871
Kibune no Kawadoko
The patios of restaurants & inns also open their patios by the river like in Kawaramachi.
The temperature is cooler by 5-10℃ in Kibune than in Kawaramachi
in the summer and the views are more spectacular.
TEL:075-741-4444
Roses are in full bloom
Roses are in Bloom* Kyoto
Uji Botanical Garden
TEL:0772-39-9387
Kyoto Botanical Garden
2 000 plants with 300 varieties of roses.
Roses are in Bloom* Osaka
Nakanoshima Park
4 000 plants with 89 varieties of roses.
TEL:06-6312-8121
Expo park
5 400 plants with 67 varieties of roses.
TEL:06-6877-7387
Hanahaku Tsurumi park
2 600 plants with 450 varieties of roses.
TEL:06-6877-7387
Nagai Botanical Park
TEL:06-6696-7117
Hananobunkaen
2 300 plants with 160 varieties of roses.
Flowers can be enjoyed in all the seasons of the year in one of the top-rated flower gardens of Kansai.
Hirakata Park
4 000 plants with 600 varieties of roses.
Hamadera Park
7 000 plants with 250 varieties of roses.
Roses are in Bloom* Hyogo
Itami Rose Garden
3 500 plants with 250 varieties of roses.
TEL:072-781-2906
Sumarikyu Park
4 000 plants with 160 varieties of roses.
Himeji Rose Park
3 500 plants with 800 varieties of roses.
Oido Park
2 500 plants with 100 varieties of roses.
TEL:06-6422-5319
Aramaki rose Park
10 000 plants with 250 varieties of roses in one of the best gardens in Kansai.
TEL:072-783-7118
Roses are in Bloom* Nara
Matsuoji Temple
500 plants with 80 varieties of roses.
Ofusa kannon
1 800 plants specializing in English roses.
Wisteria are in full bloom
Wisteria are in Bloom* Kyoto
Byodoin
Uji_shi
The age of a tree is 250 years old.
When this flower blooms, Byodo-in is crowded with a lot of people. But beautiful.
TEL:0774-21-2861
Wisteria are in Bloom* Nara
Kasuga Shrine
The wisteria of over 200 trees.
TEL:0742-22-7788
