Kamogawa Odori

May 1 - 24

Ponto-cho Kaburenjo, Kyoto

Since its first performance 1872, the Kamogawa Odori has won popularity not only in Japan but also abroad, and has earned great admiration from such celebrities as Charlie Chaplin. The stage offers great splendor with a Japanese atmosphere and exquisiteness of traditional Japanese dancing. This is a must-see for those sightseeing Kyoto and will surely become something dear to them. The performance time is about one hour and 15 minutes. Visitors that buy the most expensive ¥4,300 ticket are served Japanese tea.

Time: 12:30pm, 2:20pm, 4:10pm (You can enter one hour before.)
Getting there: Keihan line, Sanjo stn, Hankyu Kyoto line, Kawaramachi stn, 10-min walk
Admission: ¥4,300/¥3,800/¥2,000
Tel:075-221-2025

Children's Day Campaign

May 3 - 6

Kobe Lamp Museum, Hyogo

Kobe Lamp Museum is a place where you enjoy learning how the lamp has changed through time. One of the most important things in human history is fire and our lives always have developed with light from torches, candles, lamps, gaslights, and electronic lights. The interior decorations for this show recreate the old foreign settlement in Kobe. You can enjoy eating in a café and shopping at a museum shop where they carry lamps and candles. Matches whose packages reproduce old designs are popular at that shop. Finding your favorite lamp will be an enjoyable task. During this period, those who are under junior high school age get in for free because of Children's Day.

Time: 10am–5pm (enter by 4:30pm)
Getting there: Hanshin/Hankyu/JR Kobe line, Sannomiya stn
Admission: Adult ¥400/Child (under junior high school students) ¥200
Tel:078-333-5310

Grandiva

May 9, 10

Festival Hall, Osaka

Les Ballets Grandiva is an all-male comedy ballet company, one of only a handful in the world and at 10 years old, it is the newest and also the largest company of its kind in the world. This is Grandiva's 11th season with tours to Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand on the Men in Tutus tour. The theme this year is "Laughing recipe". The company will perform Swan Lake, Dying Swans, the Ice Skaters, pas de deux and others. The beautiful and skillful technique of the "ballerinas" is a must-see!

Time: 9th, 7pm; 10th, 6pm
Getting there: Subway Yotsubashi line, Higobashi stn, exit 4
Admission: ¥7,000/¥8,000/¥9,000
Tel:06-6231-2221

The 40th Sand Festival

May 25

Shirahama, Wakayama

This is a representative event held in early summer in Shirahama and a competition of artistic works made of sand. The spectacular works are made from only sand and water. The board members of the Shirahama tourist agency in 1963 discussed an event that could entertain people by using white sand on the broad and beautiful Shirahama beach. Taking a cue from the snow festival in Hokkaido, they came up with this idea.

Since then, this festival has been held every year for 40 years. The number and size of works have been increasing year after year, so you can see 40–60 works. Not only the participants but also the onlookers enjoy themselves thoroughly.

Time: 12:30pm
Getting there: JR Kinokuni line, Shirahama stn
Admission: free
Tel:0739-43-5511

Kansai Event Listings May

Spring Kyogen Play 2008: Close relationship between Kyogen play and Rakugo

Ohtsuki Noh Theatre, Osaka
May 2, 4

Annual Spring Kyogen plays draw cheerful laughter. Rakugo-related plays are performed this time.

Time: 2nd, 6:30pm • 4th, 1:30pm, 6:30pm
Getting there: Subway Tanimachi line, Tanimachi 4-chome stn, exit 10
Admission: ¥5,500 (All reserved seats)
Tel:06-6353-8988

Bathing Beach Opening

Shirahama, Wakayama
May 3

This bathing beach is the first to open each season on Honshu. Some events are planned such as a safety drill, a ceremony, the first swimming, cleaning the beach, a beach flags competition, and a hula competition.

Time: 9am
Getting there: JR Kinokuni line, Shirahama stn • Admission: free
Tel:0739-43-5511

Citizen Boiled Tea Ceremony

Seiryu-en, Nijo-jo Catle, Kyoto
May 3–5

The palace, the painting of fusuma, and the garden of Nijo-jo castle designated as national treasures are shown and also tea ceremonies by two schools each day are held.

Time: 10am–3pm
Getting there: JR Kyoto line, Kyoto stn, city bus 9, 50, 101 to Nijo-jo mae stn
Admission: ¥2,000 (entrance fee including two seats for tea ceremony)
Tel:075-841-0096

Sunrise Kayak Tour and Bread Making

Biwako Lake, Shiga
May 3, 5

Paddle a kayak for two persons before sunrise, and then see the sunrise on the lake. Those who haven't paddled a kayak can join this because you learn how to do it through a lecture. Partici- pants should bring clothes, a pair of shoes, and a cap that you don't care about getting wet and a windbreaker, rain gear, bathing suits, and flashlights.

Time: 1pm–10am (next morning)
Getting there: JR Kosei line, Hourai stn
Admission: ¥12,800 (sleeping in a tent), ¥14,900 (sleeping in a room)
Tel:077-592-0127
www.bsc-int.co.jp

Monster Viva 2008

Intex Osaka, Osaka
May 3–5

This big fun-filled event provides infor- mation on traveling, housing, gourmet restaurants, and hobbies. There will also be a flea market and a show featur- ing popular characters. A must to visit during Golden Week.

Time: 10am–5pm
Getting there: New tram Nanko Port Town line, Nakafuto stn
Admission: Adult ¥1,000/Child ¥500/ Senior (older than 70, ID verification) ¥700/Handicapped and a chaperon free (ID verification)
Tel:06-6612-3773

Super Kabuki Performance- Yamatotakeru

Osaka Shochiku-za, Osaka
May 4–27

Yamatotakeru was performed first in February 1986 by Ennosuke Ichikawa and became extremely popular because of quick costume changes, innovative music and wire action that was all totally different from traditional kabuki. It was named ‘Super Kabuki. This has been performed regularly since then and has entertained 900,000 spectators. Don't miss this masterpiece!

Time: 11am, 4:30pm
Getting there: JR /Subway Midosuji/Yotsubashi/Sennichimae line, Namba stn, exit 14
Admission: ¥13,650/¥7,350/¥4,200
Tel:06-6214-2211

Dance Fever-European Urban Dance Meets Osaka

International House, Osaka
May 9

The purpose of this event is to experi- ence the modern urban cultures of Germany, France, Spain, Belgium and Japan. This 7th event introduces Euro- pean culture through urban dance that is popular in each country. The event will culminate in a dance with the performers and audience together.

Time: 6:30pm–10:30pm
Getting there: Kintetsu Osaka line, Uehonmachi stn, Subway Tanimachi line, Tanimachi 9-chome stn
Admission: ¥1,500 (adv ¥1,000)
Tel:06-6773-8182

Rankyo Festival 2008

Arashiyama, Kyoto
May 10, 11

This is a music festival performed in a special floor in Oi River. The specta- tors see the stage and enjoy Japanese drums, jazz, and noh from the old- fashioned houseboat while feeling the spring wind. Open-air stalls will line the riverbank and craftwork made by traditional craftsman will be on sale.

Time: 2pm–3:30pm, 6pm–7:30pm
Getting there: Hankyu Arashiyama line, Arashiyama stn, 15-min walk
Admission: ¥2,500 (passage fare)
Tel:075-861-0302

Kondo Akiko & Yamada Yuko "Rosa"

Uzura Gallery, Kyoto
May 18

The beautiful poems of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, with musical accompaniment on recorders.

Time: 2pm–3pm, 4pm–5pm
Getting there: Keihan line, Sanjo stn, Subway Sanjo-keihan stn
Admission: ¥1,500per performance
Tel:070-5500-1011 (for reservations)
http://sound.jp/uzura/gallery_.html

Reading Words

Dragonfly Café, Osaka
May 25

Open mic reading event in English. Fiction, poetry, etc. Time: 7:30pm-10:00pm

Getting there: Subway Midosuji Namba stn (see KS Shinsaibashi map, B3) • Admission: free
Tel:06-6226-8217

The 80th Anniversary Commemorative Performance in Yamamoto Nohgakudo Theater

Yamamoto Nohgakudo Theater, Osaka
May 31

Yamamoto Nohgakudo Theater is the oldest Noh Theater in Osaka. In 2006 it was designated a national tangible cultural property. This performance commemorates the 80th anniversary of the theater.

Time: 12pm–5pm
Getting there: Subway Tnanimachi line, Tanimachi 4-chome stn
Admission: ¥8,000/¥7,000/¥6,000
Tel:06-6943-9454

Whale Watching

Kushimoto, Wakayama
May-Sep

Kumano-nada close to Shionomisaki cape is a famous place to watch whales. About one hour after leaving Kushimoto port, you can see whales' bulk. The round trip is about 4 hours and goes twice a day, in the morning and afternoon. Please make a reser- vation by 5pm on the day before you want to go.

Getting there: JR Kinokuni line, Kushimoto stn, 15-min walk
Admission: Adult ¥7,000/elementary school students ¥5,000/infants ¥4,000
Tel:0735-62-6091

EVENT section compiled by Toshie Kashihara

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