Chinese New Year Festival

                                                          <Reference: http://nichubunka.com/syunsetsu/index.html>

Chinese New year is coming soon!
It is for Chinese but There are some events for it in Japan too!

This is one of the biggest Chinese New Year festival in Osaka.

・Place: Tenshiba (Tennoji Park) 2 minutes away from Tennoji Station
・Time: 10 am ~ 7pm on the 25th and 26th Jan, 10 am ~ 5 pm on the 27th Jan
・Fee: Free entrance (there would be many stalls there)

You can see Chinese traditional performance and can try Chinese authentic foods 😆

Midosuji Illumination 2019

Midosuji Illumination 2019

You can enjoy quite long (Over 4 km!) illumination at Midosuji Street.

It is only 2 minutes away from our hostel and you can just walk straight to Namba or Umeda with these beautiful illumination :)

・From the 4th of November to the 31st of December

・5PM ~ 11PM

・Midosuji (Umeda to Namba) 

Different blocks have different illuminations!

<Reference: https://www.hikari-kyoen.com/en/>

<Reference: https://www.hikari-kyoen.com/en/>

Halloween Buffet at Sheraton Miyako Hotel

Hello. This is Maho from Osaka Hana Hostel.

I introduce about Halloween buffet at Sheraton Miyako Hotel.🎃

First, look at this picture.

very cute😚They are made by sweets!

monster cram paff👾

This is made by potato and nuts✋

If you do not like sweet, it's fine.

They have solty food too👌

This is smile potato😁

adult : 3,367 yen

child : 1,683 yen

15:45 ～ 17:15

Have a happy Halloween🎃🎃

Kishiwada Danjiri in October

Hello, this is Nori from Osaka Hana Hostel.
It has been quite hot until these days, and suddenly it is getting cooler.
But There is such a hot festival in Kishiwada, Osaka!  "Kishiwada Danjiri"

Date: the 12th of October 6am - 10pm
         the 13th of October 7am - 10pm

Place: Kishiwada area (Please refer to URL below)

http://www.city.kishiwada.osaka.jp/site/danjiri/danjiri-map.html

                                                                      picture provided: Kishiwada city

It is one of the most famous festival in Osaka, so why don't you join it?

Summer Festival Minoo Park 2019

Hello! This is Maho from Osaka Hana Hostel.

I introduce Summer Festival at Minoo Park :)

Minoo waterfall is very famous in Japan! You can see the waterfall by about 40 minutes walk from Mino station( Hankyu Mino line ).

✨Minoo waterfall light up

July 13, 2019 ~ September 1, 2019

sunset ~ 10 pm

✨Minoo Park candles road 2019

Minoo waterfall , waterfall road center to about 6,000 of your decoration a candle to candle lights produce a fantastic overnight.

July 20, 2019 at 7 pm ~ 9 pm

Enjoy walking and seeing beautiful nature at Minoo park😉

Bon Dance at Shitennoji Temple

Bon dance is one of Japanese traditional dancing in summer festival.

There is a stage and some representatives sing and play taiko (Japanese drum)
and participants dancing while going around the stage.

The dancing is so simple that everyone can do it!

Place: Shitennoji Temple
Date & Time: between 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm
Entrance fee: free

(Image photo)

It must be valuable experience in Japan :)

International Zazen Meditation

Hello. This is Maho from Osaka Hana Hostel:)

I have a question. Do you know Zazen?

It is Buddhist teaching. 

Zen is about finding yourself ( finding out who your really are), as well as finding truth - not worshipping others, but believing in yourself, knowing " who you really are," being yourself, living in your own way. These are the goals of Zen.

Shitennoji ( temple ) will hold an International Zazen meditation for foreigners to know Buddhism. 

The instructor speaks both English and Japanese.

If you would like to experience Zazen, please go to Shitennoji Honbo Kyakuden by the start time.

*People who are late for the time can not participate.

-The date of Zazen-

●2019 June 8th Saturday, Start from 1:00pm ～ it takes 60 minutes
　People who want to join our Zazen, please come to Gojyu-no-to Pagoda befor start.

You should try Zazen for finding yourself😌

Fire Flies' Evening (HOTARU NO YUUBE)

Hello, this is Nori!

Have you ever seen fire flies?

Normally, they can be seen in rural area in Japan. You might be able to see them in some part of Osaka, but not around main areas in Osaka.

But you can get chance to see them at Namba Parks!

They will release 300 fire flies there and you can enjoy to see them.

"Fire flies' Evening (HOTARU NO YUUBE)"

Place: Parks garden 5F in Namba Parks (next to Nankai Namba station)

Date & Time: between 8 pm and 10 pm on the 1st and 2nd of June

Fee: Free (first come, first served for 300 people)

You can enjoy their natural warm lighting :)

An enchanted night walk at Osaka Castle

Hello. This is Maho from Oska Hana Hostel.

Today I recommend Digital Art at Osaka Castle:)

Have you been to Osaka Castle?

Of course you can enjoy there in the daytime.

Especially in April, it has a lot of beautiful cherry blossom!

(全国お花見1000景 - ウォーカープラス)

But today I introduce Osaka Castle after sunset.

It's An enchanted night at Osaka Castle.

A night walk experience blending enchanting sound and light 

into Osaka Castle Park.

(FRaU)

Not only sound and light.

Interactive digital art will transport you into a story world where Akiko,

a girl from the future, and her fantastic joyspirit are looking for a way back to 

the future from Osaka Castle Park.

(sakuyalumina.jp)

Sounds fun, right?

walk-in ticket

Adult(18 or older):3,200yen

Teenagers(13to17) and senior(65 or older):2,200yen

Children(4to12):1,200yen

There is advance ticket too.

↓Check it link below↓

https://sakuyalumina.jp/en/

If you would like to see different face of Osaka Castle,

you should go there:)

Cherry blossom forecast

It is almost the season for cherry blossom!
Here is forecast for cherry blossom.

 https://sakura.weathermap.jp/sp/

Sakura will be blooming from the 26th of March in Osaka.
So the beginning of April must be much better for cherry-blossom viewing!

If you go to the place which has light up for sakura, it looks more beautiful:)

Let's party with sakura!!

A Valentine Chocolate Expo 2019

A Valentine Chocolate Expo will be held at Umeda Hankyu department store this year too!

About 300 brands and 3000 types of different chocolate will be gathered in this event.

Date:January 23rd ~ 14th of February

Time: 10am ~ 8pm(Sun-Thu)

Place: Hankyu department store on the 9th floor

Setsubun events

The 3rd of February is called "Setsubun" in Japan.

It means the end of winter and the beginning of spring. in the old lunar calendar.

On this day, people scatter roasted beans around their houses to get rid of evils from their houses and welcome happiness in.

So on this day, many temples and shrines will hold events for it.

One of the biggest events is "節分祭 (Setsubun Festival)" at Sumiyoshi shrine.

In this event, there is a Japanese traditional ritual.  And they serve free sweet red beans soup for 1,000 people.  

出典: http://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/events/annualevents/02.html

Date: the 3rd of February 9am

Place: Sumiyoshi Shrine

Price: Free

Many temples and shrines other than Sumiyoshi shrine will hold some events on this day, so why don't you feel Japanese tradition on this day? 

German Christmas Market at Sky building

The 27m high-Christmas tree is at Umeda Sky Building this year too. This is the extremely popular event that visitors can enjoy German Christmas while in Osaka. There is also the wooden Merry-Go-Round with 120year-history. In addition, the floating garden which is well-known all over the world is in the Christmas mood so that you can spend a special night with your precious one.

Place: Sky building / 7 mins on foot from Osaka station
Dates: November 17, 2018 - December 25, 2018
Hour: 5:30pm-10:30pm

Osaka Castle Illuminage

Osaka Jo Illuminage are going to be held this year again.
"Wa maze" will appear this year.  Illumination makes Japanese old town and that old town makes a maze.  It is the very first attempt in Japan!

You can enjoy not only illumination but also a maze...!
And also there will be some other programs such as a historical play performed by street performers, a monkey show, etc...


<出典:https://www.illuminagegroup.com/osaka2018-2019/>

The detail is as below,

Place: Osaka Castle Park NISHINOMARU GARDEN
Date: The 1st of December - The 3rd of March
Business hours: 5 pm- 10 pm
Light up hours: 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Price: Adult: 1,200 yen(Junior high school students or more)
         Child: 600 yen (elementary school students or less)
Free: Under 3 years old
Group discount: a group of 20 people or more can get 10% discount.

Tourist discount: Show your passport and you can get discount!
           Adult: 1,000 yen    Child: 500 yen
  *Only foreign passports applies (or non-Japanese resident).

This illumination is only for a few months, so Don't miss it!!

Ramen girls festival

Noodles which they choose and pulled for this event are the concentration Satoko Morimoto representative ramen Women eating 600 cups a year or more! Ramen Women Expo-limited ramen comes up, too! Man is entrance OK, too.

27 September, 2018 - 8 October, 2018

week day 11am - 10pm week end 10am - 10pm

Admission free *Eating and drinking are charged separately.

Full moon party!

Hello, this is Nori from Osaka Hana Hostel!
In September, Osaka was struck by the huge typhoon...
But mostly it was recovered and it is getting cooler these days.

This time we will introduce Full moon party held on the 24th of September.
Why don't you relax watching full moon in a sacred atmosphere?

Mizukisai Festival held in Sumiyoshi Shrine.



Reference source URL:http://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/events/special.html#anchor03


Date and time: 6pm - 8:30pm on the 24th of September
Place: Sumiyoshi shrine
Fee: Free (for table seat : 1,000yen)

Shushisai Festival held in Osaka Tenman-gu.
 
Reference source URL：http://www.osaka-info.jp/

Date and time: 6pm-9pm
Place: Osaka Tenman-gu
Fee: Free

According to the weather forecast, it will be cloudy on the day,
however, it is worthy of just experiencing such a sacred atmosphere!

Osaka Castle Special Exhibit

Various turrets and storage rooms built during the reconstruction work of Osaka Castle by Tokugawa Bakufu after the “Siege of Osaka”.
Special exhibit of some parts of the facilities used for keeping watch, defense as well as the armory, located in key points in the castle.
Visitors can enter the interior of precious buildings, which are usually off limits, such as above the Otemon Gate.

Date:July 21 (Sat)-August 31 (Fri), 2018 (Closed on Monday)10:00-16:30 (Last admission:16:00)* Ticket on sale until 15:30

Admission Fee: Adult 700yen, Child 300yen

Station: Osaka Business Park

Summer! Festival! Fireworks!

Hello, this is Nori from Osaka Hana Hostel!

I will inform you about "Tenjin-sai" which takes place today and tomorrow!
It is said that this festival took place for the first time in 951, and it is one of the best festival in Japan.
On the 25th, there are two main events called "Rikutogyo" and "Funatogyo," so roads will be filled with Mikoshi (a small and portable shrine) and Okawa-River will be filled with ships.

At night on the 25th, 5,000 fireworks will be set off.
Here is the detail about fireworks.



Date and Time： The 25th of July
                         19:30-20:50

No. of Fireworks：About 5,000

Place：Kawasaki Park and  Sakuranomiya Park

Access： 2 minutes walk from west exit of JR Sakuranomiya station.
             5 minutes walk from Tenmanbashi station (Subway)

Parking：×

Phone：06-6353-0025　Osaka Tenmangu

Pay seat：Table seat 22,000yen (5,500 yen × 4 seats), free seat at beach 4000yen　
　　　　※for more information, call 06-6809-1588

*It will be cancelled when it rains.

Tomorrow will be so hot like over 35℃, so please drink a lot of water and take care of yourself!

Candle night in Osaka

The Osaka Candle night is an exhibition of glass and fire sculptures. Held on two Wednesday night in June, the earlier night is held in Chayamachi, while latter one cuts through the center of Umeda's business district. Anything held for free in the middle of Osaka will attract a lot of people, and the sculptures, while beautiful, often felt swamped by spectators. Sadly the ambient light of the nearby skyscrapers also dims the effect somewhat. However, if crowds aren't a problem, and you are in the area, the Osaka Candle Night is worth a look.

The closest station for visiting Umeda's night, is Nishiumeda station on the Yotsubashi line. Candles light up from 6pm until pm. Free entry.

Digital Sakura in full bloom

There was an art aquarium a few years ago at Nijo Castle and was absolutely amazing but this is another beautiful event called "Nijo Castle Sakura Matsuri" A projection mapping show is being held featuring cherry blossoms at Nijo Castle's  Karamon gate in Kyoto. This event is directed by NAKED. The digital images show the cherry blossoms in full bloom and petals blowing about beautifully.Real cherry blossom also in full bloom at the castle too! 



Admission is 600 yen ($5.67) for adults, 350 yen for junior and high school students, and 200 yen for elementary school children.

Date:March 23rd-15th of April
Time: 1.8:45am-5pm　2.6pm-9:30pm
Place:Nijo Castle (541 Nijojo-cho, Horikawanishiiru, Nijo-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto)