Night Museum at Matsumoto Museum of Art and Japan Ukiyo-e Museum

The second event in the art museum’s Night Museum series and held especially on Valentine’s Day! (The third and last event will be on March 3rd)

Special events to be held at both the art museum and ukiyo-e museum. Tentatively planned is a behind-the-scenes tour (with flashlights!) featuring the preparations for upcoming special Yayoi Kusama exhibit in March. The Japan Ukiyo-e Museum’s talk event will feature a special discussion on the culture of romance found in ukiyo-e wood block prints. (Tours planned for 6 p.m & 8 p.m, RSVP required. Talk planned for 7 p.m.).

There will also be a special “MUSEUM BAR” set up at the Japan Ukiyoe Museum with mulled wine and chocolate, and a special print making activity where you can make your own ukiyo-e.

Shuttle bus service available to go between museums. Tours/Talks will feature interpreting into English and Chinese.

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018
Time: 5 p.m.–9 p.m. (Last admission at 8:30 p.m. Also open for regular hours from 9 to 5)
Location: Matsumoto Museum of Art (Map) and Japan Ukiyoe Museum (map)
Admission Fee: Pair ticket (2 adults, regardless of gender) for ¥1,000 / General ticket (adult) for ¥1,000 (Junior high school students and younger are free)
Notes: Ticket price includes admission into both museums, talk events, and shuttle bus service

Taiko Drum Workshop for Beginners

No experience necessary! English speakers will be assisting!
Learn to play taiko like a pro, from correct stance to proper drumming techniques. This one-hour lesson starts with the introduction of basic rhythms and finishes with you giving your very own performance!

The workshop is being offered at a special discount price (¥3,000 OFF) this one time, so if you’ve ever thought about picking up taiko, now is a good time to try it out!
You will be instructed by a member of the group Hibikiza.
*Please note that participants will be filmed and/or have their pictures taken.*

Date: Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018
Time: 2 p.m. (lasts 1 hour)
Location: Agetsuchi Theater (map, formerly known as Piccadilly Hall). 8 min walk from the castle and 13 min from the station.
Price: ¥1,000 (discounted from ¥4,000!)
Registration: Online registration form is here or call 090-4666-3954

Setsubun Festival at Fukashi Shrine

Setsubun is a festival that celebrates the end of winter (though, it still feels cold to me!!) and often involves bean throwing and oni (a kind of Japanese demon). At Fukashi Shrine, they put on a huge bean throwing event at night and toss out roasted soy beans, lucky 5-yen coins, mochi, Japanese sweets, prize tickets, and more to the crowd surrounding the shrine hall. There is also a special bean throwing area just for kids (so they have a chance to catch some thing on their own and not get stepped on by the adults)! And, yes, the oni will make an appearance 😉

You can watch the bean roast ceremony from 2 p.m. but the festival part doesn’t officially start until 5 p.m. The bean throwing event starts at 6 p.m. Besides bean throwing, there is an arrow shooting ritual (around 5 p.m.) and taiko (before the bean throwing begins)

Date: Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018
Time: 2 p.m.–6:15 p.m.
Location: Fukashi Shrine (map)
Notes: You can see a couple of photos on one of our previous blog posts.