Japan comes alive with matsuri, festivals that celebrate local culture and traditions throughout the country. From the icy ...

Dozens of people soaked and splashed themselves in painfully icy cold water in a pool at a Tokyo shrine, adhering to Japanese tradition to purify the soul and pray for good health in the new year.

IBUSUKI, Kagoshima -- The unique "Mendon" festival, featuring a parade of participants wearing bizarre masks who smear black ...

The Japanese island of Hashima was closed in 1974 and fell into disrepair, but since the 2000s, it has been reborn as a ...

Phallic portable shrines are paraded through the streets ... visitors can appreciate an aesthetic history of Japan. Tokyo’s top festival dates back centuries. The full version, which will ...

Sake has a rich history complete with dragons and gods in ancient Japan. Today, the rice wine is still sacred and has UNESCO recognition for its intangible cultural heritage. Explore the rice wine in ...

Scantily clad shrine parishioners throw icy cold water on himself during the annual cold-endurance festival at Kanda Myojin Shinto shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, a traditional Japanese ...

TOKYO (AP) — Dozens of people soaked and splashed themselves in painfully icy cold water on Saturday in a pool at a Tokyo shrine, adhering to Japanese tradition to purify the soul and pray for ...