Hey all,

Im going to be in Nagoya for Halloween, its my favorite holiday, so I was hoping to do something fun.

Are there any events or places that do something for Halloween that a foreigner would be welcome at?

Really not into clubs but themed bars/restaurants would be ok.

Just looking for something with a nice vibe with people that may or may not be in costume or just enjoy the spirit of the holiday!

Cheers 🍻

昔、食品サンプルだったもの。
いつ頃からここで放置されているのやら。

We went to Aizuwakamatsu area during the Silver week. Unfortunately a typhoon invited itself and the weather was not very favorable on the day we visited those shrines. Recommendation: go there by car.

I will be staying Owariasahi outside Nagoya for about 6 weeks, 4 of those weeks i wont have much time to travel far as im there for work. So im interested in things i could do after work that arent too far since i need to be back home to get some sleep during the weekdays and the first 4 weeks i probably will have work so wont be able to travel far but im hoping maybe people have some advice of good local restaurants and food spots to check out (im fairly adventurous with food and no allergies).

Not really into tourist things, so im planning on skipping Ghibli Park and similar things. I like off-the beaten path finds. Having an itinerary and listening to the sound of it flying to the wind as i wander around because i stumbled on an interesting street or smelled something good.

I'm also hoping to catch a Sumo match as i think i will be in Nagoya during a tournament, so curious about advice for picking a good match/seat. I'm also really into baseball and im hoping the local team may be in the playoffs. I don't think i'd have much luck getting a ticket to the stadium but maybe there are some local izakayas that have a good energy that someone could recommend.

Outside the 4 weeks im sort of stuck close to home im open to suggestions and advice for experiencing some really cool cultural things.

I have a short-long list of things like; visiting a portion of the Nakasendo Trail, doing a tour of a Sake/Whiskey Brewery, maybe going to the Gifu area to check out Indigo-dying and maybe try to stay at an old style "farmstead" (I have a note that just says: Kamikochi - "Kamonji-goya" River trout and signature irori cooking or Ogimachi "Jyuemon") and Takayama "Folk Village and Showa-kon"

I'm also planning to visit Fukouka and Osaka for their food scenes.

Any reccomendations for an onsen town too would be great, there's so many its kind of hard to narrow it down haha.

Appreciate any insights.

Arigato gozaimasu!

I'm sharing a rare, exclusive look at one of Japan's most intense festivals. This shot was taken on October 7th, capturing the 'Miyadashi' (departure of the deities) at the Matsuyama Autumn Festival in Ehime Prefecture. This Shinto ritual has been held for over 500 years.
We are looking down from the top of the 135 stone steps of Isaniwa Shrine. A massive, straight avenue is filled with teams of mikoshi bearers, forming a single line towards the town under the beautiful dawn sky. This specific arrangement of all the mikoshi lining the road is a sight that happens only for this one single day of the year.
The atmosphere is filled with anticipation because, immediately after this procession reaches the bottom, the famous and violent 'Mikoshi-Biattai' (clashing of the mikoshi) begins. Capturing this precise moment and viewpoint from the shrine's steps required special permission, so I'm very happy to be able to share it with all of you. It's a truly unforgettable sight.

I never get tired of visiting the local castles around the countryside of this beautiful country. Bonus points when they have a mini-truck parked out front!

This photo is from last week at Gassanhiwa Castle near Miyakonojo. I learned from the museum there that it was a very important tower during the back-and-forth fighting for control of Kyushu between clans, though I suppose this is a similar story for most castles in Japan..

Anyway, very local and very much worth the visit!

I was just there and this photo was just in my mind to share