14 Culture Irises at Yakushiike Park Cathy Cawood Irises bloom in the long narrow pond gardens at Yakushiike from early June.
15 Kozo-ji Cathy Cawood Koso-ji is a small temple in Machida, Tokyo, worth visiting to see its very beautiful garden
12 Kurama Fire Festival Cathy Cawood Three meter bonfires burn while torch bearers carry flaming pine torches through the picturesque streets of Kurama on the night..
15 Gion Matsuri Procession Cathy Cawood On July 17th every year, Kyoto's Gion Matsuri procession takes place, when 32 festival floats decorated with valuable tapestries..
Tanabata and Light-up at Kodai-ji 2026 Early Jul Colorful display of decorated bamboo branches in the carpark of Kodai-ji in Kyoto to celebrate the festival of Tanabata. The handmade..
11 Culture Yamazaki Suntory Whiskey Distillery Cathy Cawood Suntory Whiskey Distillery in Yamazaki offers free tours of their whiskey library, distillery, and aging cellar and includes whiskey..
9 Culture Ishiyamadera's Muyu-en Pond Garden Cathy Cawood Muyu-en, a beautiful Japanese pond garden at Ishiyamadera in Otsu, has koi ponds, red bridges and a small waterfall.
6 Food Iroha Restaurant in Shibuya Cathy Cawood Iroha Restaurant in Shibuya serves udon with delicious Italian pasta style sauces.