I think that Japanese autumn deserves special recognition, the Japanese fall leaves that color the skyline are some of the most gorgeous that I have ever seen in my whole life. The heavy rains that hit Japan during typhoon season really make for some bright yellow, red, and orange leaves in autumn.

Japan has hundreds of resorts scattered throughout the country and most international snow lovers have heard the legends of the powder snow in Hokkaido’s popular resort of Niseko. Yet powder lovers need not travel to the northern island in order to get their dream Japan ski holiday. The following are 4 great ski experiences in Honshu, Japan’s main island.

The Sake Festival is a two-day long event that offers sake from all over Japan. Therefore, you have the opportunity to try sake from places as far apart and diverse as Okinawa and Hokkaido. But, don't forget all that local sake too!

Asuka, the origin of the rising sun and arguably the first capital of Japan during the Asuka period, is an ancient village filled with precious treasures and natural wonders that are extremely significant to Japanese history.

Koenji becomes a huge attraction in the summer when it hosts one of Tokyo’s most popular festivals. The Koenji Awa Odori is a summer dance festival and is held annually during the last weekend in August.

A unique Tanabata festival to commemorate the poignant meeting of the star lovers, and perhaps, one of the biggest festivals of its kind takes place every year in Asagaya, Suginami ward.

Every August 15th Nagatoro holds it’s dual Shinto/Buddhist festival on the banks of the Arakawa River. The popular festival merges two important local customs.

Come to Iwate to experience a colorful dreamscape of crystals and light. At the Kenji Miyazawa Fairy Tale Village, you can jump into a world befitting of fairies.

Children, teens, and adults can be seen crowding the Hata Sensuda Sports Park. Tents with the aroma of delicious festival foods wafting from them can also be seen from a distance as people order treats from them, forming long lines that snake towards the parking lot. Everyone here is excitedly awaiting the event of the night – the Hata Fireworks Festival.

One of the unique festivals of the area is the Demon Fireworks Festival, known as the Oni-Hanabi in Japanese. Every summer from early June to the end of July, Noboribetsu holds a special festival to celebrate the demons living in the area.

Japanese summers may bring on the heat and humidity, but they also signal Japan’s love of the festive. Tokyo’s festivals cover the whole spectrum – from congenial goodwill ceremonies to fireworks extravaganzas, summertime in Tokyo is never a dull moment.

Some of these varieties include: ceramic, glass, metal, bamboo, bronze, clay, crystal and so on. Kawasaki Daishi Temple, while not quite known to many tourists, has always beendedicated to the warding of evil through its ceremonies of purification, such as the Yakudoshi (unlucky or critical age in a person’s life), blessings of talismans and charms, burning rites during New Year, year-end cleaning ritual using long brooms, and others.