Updated 2 Nov
This week in Japan
What is on only now, and worth changing a plan for. We check again every Monday, and each item says where it comes from.
This week
2 Nov to 8 Nov
Culture Day: Tokyo's national museums are free
On 3 November, a national holiday in Japan, the permanent collections are free at the Tokyo National Museum (normally ¥1,000), the National Museum of Western Art (¥500), the National Museum of Nature and Science (¥630) and the National Museum of Modern Art (¥500). The first three are in Ueno Park, within walking distance of each other, so you can do them in one day. It is a holiday, so come when the doors open.
Free for the permanent collections.
Source: tokyoartbeat.com, bijutsutecho.com
Tori-no-Ichi: the lucky rake market
A 24-hour market at Otori Shrine, midnight to midnight, with about 150 stalls of kumade, bamboo rakes decorated for luck and livelihood. When a sale closes, the sellers and the buyer clap in rhythm, which is worth seeing even if you buy nothing. This year it falls on a Saturday. If you keep Shabbat there is one more date: Thursday 19 November. The shrine is about 7 minutes on foot from Iriya Station, not near Asakusa Station.
Free to enter. The price of a rake depends on its size.
Source: otorisama.or.jp, otorisama.or.jp
The Shosoin Exhibition: the final week
Treasures of the imperial collection from the 8th century leave the storehouse for one exhibition a year at the Nara National Museum, and the last day is 9 November. You need an advance ticket for a set time. Open 08:00 to 18:00, and until 20:00 on Friday to Sunday and on holidays, with last entry an hour before closing. A late ticket costs less: from 16:00 Monday to Thursday, and from 17:00 Friday to Sunday and on holidays. The museum is in Nara Park, beside the route of the deer and Todai-ji.
¥2,000, or ¥1,500 for a late ticket. A same-day ticket, if any are left, costs ¥200 more.
Source: shosoin-ten.jp, shosoin-ten.jp
Gion Odori: the geisha's autumn show
The geiko and maiko of Gion Higashi dance at the Gion Kaikan hall, from 1 to 10 November, twice a day: 13:30 and 16:00, about an hour each. It is the only autumn show of Kyoto's five geisha districts. Ask ahead whether seats are left, by phone to Gion Higashi: 075-561-0224.
¥6,000, or ¥7,000 with tea.
Source: ja.kyoto.travel, rurubu.jp, nta.co.jp
Light projections on Senso-ji: the last two evenings
From 18:00 to 21:30 images are projected on the main hall and on Hozomon gate, with no ticket and no registration. On the same days Denpo-in garden, closed to the public for most of the year, is also open with a paid ticket, sold on site only if any are left. 3 November is the last evening.
The projections are free. The garden costs extra.
Source: koubo.jp
Karatsu Kunchi: 14 giant floats in the streets
Floats shaped like lions, dragons and ships, more than 7 metres tall, are hauled by hundreds of young people. On the evening of 2 November they pass lit up, from 19:00 to 21:30. On 3 November the procession sets off at 09:30, and the big moment is when they are dragged onto the sand of Nishi-no-Hama. Do not sit on the road or stand close at the turns: there have been accidents.
Free.
Source: karatsu-kankou.jp, karatsu-kankou.jp
Osaka's winter lights come on
From 3 November to 31 December, Midosuji avenue is lit for about 4 km, from the Hanshin-mae junction to Namba, from around 17:00 until 01:00 at night. Nakanoshima island is lit in the same hours, including the City Hall front. You can walk it from Umeda to Namba in one evening.
Free.
Source: city.osaka.lg.jp, pref.osaka.lg.jp, en.japantravel.com
The fire ceremony at Fushimi Inari
After a ceremony that starts at 13:00 in the main hall, more than 100 thousand prayer sticks sent from all over Japan are burned in the shrine garden. At 18:00 kagura is played by the light of small fires. It is a religious rite, not a show, and if you come for the flames, come at 13:00.
Entry to the shrine is free.
Source: inari.jp
Next week
9 Nov to 15 Nov
Autumn leaves with Fuji behind them: the peak begins
According to the Weathernews forecast, the peak at Lake Kawaguchi starts around 11 November and the leaves start to fall around the 24th. The leaf festival runs from 7 to 29 November, and the Momiji Corridor is lit from sunset until 21:00. There is no permanent parking, so it is better to take the Red Line bus to the Itchiku Kubota Museum stop. This is a forecast, so check it again before you set out.
Walking through the festival is free.
Source: weathernews.jp, tenki.jp, koyo.walkerplus.com
Night visits to Kyoto's temples expand
On 13 November the Momiji Garden at Kitano Tenmangu (¥1,500, with tea and a sweet) and Hogon-in in Arashiyama (¥1,000) open. Kodai-ji (¥800), To-ji (¥1,000) and Shoren-in (¥1,500, from 6 November) are already open. Kiyomizu-dera and Eikan-do join only on 21 and 20 November. Kyoto's leaves usually peak later, so this week you come for the lights, not for full colour.
¥800 to ¥1,500, depending on the temple.
Source: souda-kyoto.jp
The Marunouchi lights come on
About 1.2 kilometres of trees in champagne gold along Marunouchi Naka-dori, between Tokyo Station and Ginza, until 14 February. It is an ordinary street, so no ticket is needed, and it fits an evening after the palace or Tokyo Station.
Free.
Source: fashion-press.net
Shichi-Go-San: children in kimono at the shrines
Girls of 3 and 7 and boys of 5 come to the shrine with their parents for a blessing on growing up. 15 November falls on a Sunday this year, so this weekend is the busiest. At Meiji Jingu the gates close at 16:10 in November, so come in the morning. These are families, not a show: ask before you photograph a child.
Entry to the shrine is free.
Source: meijijingu.or.jp, meijijingu.or.jp
The Kyushu sumo tournament
The year's last grand tournament runs for 15 days at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center, from 8 to 22 November. According to reports, advance tickets sold out on the first day of sale. If you want to try, look at the official sale on Ticket Oosumo, because the sumo association warns against resale sites.
The price depends on the type of seat.
Source: kumanichi.com, sumo.pia.jp
Mount Takao's leaves, by the forecast
According to the Weathernews forecast published on 30 October, the peak on Mount Takao is around 13 November. These are leaves you can reach in a day from Tokyo, without waiting for the city's own. It is a forecast, so check again before you go.
Walking up is free. The cable car is paid.
Source: travelvoice.jp, enjoytokyo.jp
Kenrokuen and Kanazawa Castle at night, free
The garden and the castle are lit only on certain evenings: 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 November, from 18:00 to 21:00, with last entry at 20:45. One more evening is Saturday, 7 November. The garden is closed for the hour before the lights. On Saturdays there is also short live music at 18:15 and 19:00, and for those who keep Shabbat there are the Sundays, without music. A storm may cancel it.
Free during the lights. Daytime entry is paid.
Still on: The Shosoin Exhibition: the final week (until 9 Nov) · Gion Odori: the geisha's autumn show (until 10 Nov) · Osaka's winter lights come on (until 31 Dec)
A leaf forecast is only a forecast, and outdoor events are sometimes cancelled in rain. Check the source the day before.