obon Archives - Unseen Japan

Oversized thermometer graphic superimposed on a park where four older adults do radio calisthenics with their arms raised.

Japan’s Extreme Heat is Killing Off Its Cultural Traditions One by One

As Japan gets hotter, age-old cultural rituals such as radio calisthenics, going to the beach, and even Obon dances are suffering.

Dancers performing Bon Odori, Japan's traditional summer circle dance

TRAVEL

Bon Odori: Inside Japan’s Soulful Summer Dance Tradition

Every summer, neighborhoods and remote mountain villages across Japan ring with taiko, flute, and shuffling feet. Bon Odori is Japan's quietly extraordinary…

Three ghostly women from Japanese horror films in kimono with outstretched arms layered on top of each other.

ENTERTAINMENT

Five Japanese Horror Films for a Haunted Halloween

In the mood for the eerie world of Japanese horror this haunting season? Look no further than these five classic films.

CULTURE

Japanese User Celebrates Obon with Cucumber and Eggplant Pokemon

A clever social media user in Japan put a modern spin on an Obon tradition, giving their ancestors a ride home in…

OSAKA, JAPAN - December 1, 2015: Universal Studios Japan (USJ). According to 2014 Theme Index Global Attraction Attendance Report, USJ is ranked fifth among the top 25 amusement parks worldwide.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Universal Studios Japan Ticket Prices to Soar During Obon

Planning to go to Universal Studios Japan in August? Check your dates carefully, as prices are set to hit record highs.