japan (@japan) header
japan (@japan) profile picture

This account has been managed by the Government of Japan @JapanGov since March 10, 2015.

Joined March 2007
Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)Photo by japan (@japan)
At Asakusa's Tori-no-Ichi Festivals, colorful rakes symbolize raking in good fortune. Buyers and vendors may celebrate with tejime, a traditional handclapping ritual. A lively Edo-era tradition! ✨
4
10
1
64
4,441
Preserving a historic streetscape can mean replacing a tree. 🌳 On Osaka’s Midosuji, ginkgo trees are monitored and replaced when needed. Efforts are also underway to make the avenue more pedestrian-friendly. From Nov. 3–Dec. 31, the ginkgo-lined avenue lights up at night. ✨
1
13
56
4,869
How do you keep a 360-year-old lion dance alive? 🦁 Ubara Lion Dance welcomed women and people from outside the community. Videos and online coaching helped members learn. By 2026, membership grew from around 10 to about 35—and all 12 dances were being performed again. ✨
4
7
44
5,054
Could fruit peels help protect crops from drought? 🍊 💧 A water-retaining material made from organic waste is helping farmers use water more efficiently. Born from an idea in India, it was further developed in Japan.
3
4
31
4,760
[Some of the World's Largest Lacquer Artworks Shaking the Town]
 14 colossal *Hikiyama* floats with 200 years of history. 👹 Preserved by the community, these washi (traditional Japanese paper) & lacquer treasures parade through Karatsu every autumn. Feel the passion! 👇
10
8
30
5,384
Ekiben—boxed meals for train journeys—carry local flavors far from home. 🍱🚆 One example is Toyama's masuzushi: pressed sushi with Edo-period roots, sold as ekiben since 1912 and adapted for travel. Which region's ekiben would you like to try?
10
3
1
36
6,042
Did you know that 1,000 years ago, Japan had a night parade that was feared as deadly to witness?👻 The legend of Hyakki Yakō evolved through traditional woodblock prints into beloved characters—and today in Kyoto, people dance alongside them. Discover this 1,000-year journey👇
11
8
28
5,931
How do you carry a 400-year-old cedar avenue into the future? 🌲 Nikko's cedars have fallen from about 16,500 in 1961 to around 12,000 today. Tochigi supports conservation through an owner system while studying where the next generation of cedars could be planted. ✨
6
6
1
34
6,081
Japan’s first toji, or master sake brewer, from abroad is UK-born Philip Harper. 🍶🌏 After learning the craft in Nara, he now brews in Kyoto. From Ice Breaker to Time Machine, he builds new ideas on inherited skills—helping carry sake culture forward. ✨
11
5
35
6,724