Japan Tourism Topics

1. Matsue Water Lantern Festival to be held in full for the first time in three years
The Matsue Water Lantern Festival will be held in the evening on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from September 23 to October 16 in the town of Matsue, on the Sea of Japan. During the festival, the area around the local castle is illuminated with more than 2,000 bamboo-framed lanterns, creating a fantastic scene of light and shadow that is unique to the town. The Horikawa sightseeing boat that cruises along the canals also extends its operating hours past dark during this festival period.
Water Lantern Festival (Matsue Suitoro)

2. Kurikoma mountain in Miyagi prefecture - at its best from late September covered in autumn foliage
Kurikoma mountain is located near the center of the Tohoku region, and from its summit, five other peaks as well as the Pacific Ocean can be seen in the distance. The area is famous in Japan for its bright red autumn foliage, which is said to create a "divine carpet" of beauty and is best viewed from late September onwards.
Mt. Kurikoma

3. Hilton Hiroshima to open in the fall of 2022
In the fall of 2022, the Hilton Hiroshima will open in a prime location close to the Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Peace Memorial Park. Featuring the largest conference facilities in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions--19 banquet and meeting rooms, including a ballroom able to accommodate more than 1,000 people and state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment--the new hotel will be able to host large-scale international conferences.
Hilton Hiroshima

4. The Takayama Autumn Festival to be held on Oct. 9 and 10
The Takayama Autumn Festival, or Hachiman Festival, is a celebration held at the Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine on October 9 and 10 every year, and is considered to be one of the three most colorful festivals in Japan. 11 festival floats are paraded in a procession, wowing onlookers with their dazzling appearance. At night, around 100 decorative lanterns are illuminated around each float, creating a glamorous and memorable scene.
Takayama Festival | HIDA TAKAYAMA

5. Danjiri Festival in Kishiwada, Osaka, to be held during September and October
The 300-year-old Kishiwada Danjiri Festival, dating from the mid-Edo period, will be held during September and October this year. Teams of local citizens carry delicate and dynamic floats, which are illuminated with beautiful lanterns at night, entrancing festival visitors.
The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival

Notes:
• Items 1-2, 4 are based on information from JNTO Partners
• The above details are correct as of the time of publication, and may be subject to change.

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