If you search for Tokyo may events, you’ll likely find lists dominated by the massive crowds of the Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa or food festivals in Yoyogi Park. While those are iconic, there is a more sophisticated, "hidden" side to Tokyo’s spring season that many guidebooks overlook. On May 16th and 17th, 2026, this free cultural festival transforms the historic district of Kagurazaka into an open-air stage for traditional arts. Whether you are a culture enthusiast or a curious traveler, this...

We are pleased to announce that, following the launch on our official website, tickets for "SHOGUN Cultural Experiences in Kagurazaka, Tokyo — Discover Edo Through All Five Senses (Cultural Walk · Wagashi · Tea Ceremony · Kokyu)" are now available on Confetti, Japan's leading ticket platform operated by LONGRUN PLANNING Corporation. We are also deeply grateful to Long Run Planning for issuing a press release to support this program. What Kind of Experience Is This? Kagurazaka, Tokyo — a...

I was sitting cross-legged on a tatami mat in a traditional Tokyo ryotei, sake cup in hand, when a geisha pulled out a set of wooden dice and a tray of small orange cups I had never seen before — and neither, it turned out, had most of her colleagues. That was my introduction to daidai, a drinking game so rare that searching for it online produced no meaningful results I could find. Even veteran geisha in the Kagurazaka district had never heard of it. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Before...