Shizutani School is the world’s oldest extant public school. The lecture-hall is designated a Japanese National Treasure, and the autumn leaves of the two 100-year-old Chinese pistachio trees are a beautiful sight. In early November, both are lit from 6-8 p.m. in the evenings. Built in 1670 as Japan’s first school for common folk, the […]

The Bizen ware festival is held around JP Imbe Station of Bizen city, Okayama, known as “a village of Bizen ware.” The festival lasts two days in October every year. It is a large event fully supported by the town, held for more than 30 years, and attracting about 100,000 people from all over Japan. […]