✦ Our Story

About Events

A passionate community of cultural enthusiasts dedicated to connecting people with Japan's extraordinary living traditions.

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✦ Who We Are

Born from a Love of Japan

Japan Events was founded in Osaka in 2020 by a group of cultural enthusiasts, travel writers, and community organisers who shared one frustration: finding authentic local events in Japan was unnecessarily difficult for both residents and visitors.

What began as a simple spreadsheet shared among friends has grown into Japan's most comprehensive English-language community event calendar, listing over 1,200 events annually across all 47 prefectures.

Japan doesn't just celebrate culture — it lives it every single day. Our mission is to help more people find those moments. — Keiko Tanaka, Co-Founder

We work with local organisations, tourism boards, shrine committees, and community groups to ensure our listings are accurate, respectful, and genuinely useful to visitors and residents alike.

✦ What Drives Us

Our Values

🏯
Cultural Respect
Every event we list is presented with accuracy, context, and deep respect for the traditions it represents.
🤝
Community First
We exist to serve local communities, not just tourists. Many of our events are grassroots neighbourhood celebrations.
🗾
All of Japan
We give equal attention to small rural matsuri and big city events — Japan's cultural richness exists everywhere.
🌐
Accessible for All
We present Japan's events in clear English to make the country's cultural life accessible to international visitors.

✦ The People Behind It

Meet the Team

Team Member
Keiko Tanaka
Co-Founder & Editor
Kyoto-born cultural writer with 15 years of experience documenting Japan's intangible heritage. Speaks English, Japanese & French.
Team Member
Marcus Webb
Co-Founder & Tech Lead
British expat based in Osaka since 2015. Former travel journalist turned developer, passionate about bridging cultures through technology.
Team Member
Yuki Nakamura
Community Manager
Born in Tokushima, Yuki oversees our nationwide network of local correspondents and event contributors across Japan.
Team Member
Sophia Chen
Travel & Events Editor
Taiwanese-American based in Tokyo, specialising in seasonal events, temple festivals, and the intersection of art and tradition.

✦ By the Numbers

Our Impact

2020
Year Founded
47
Prefectures Covered
1,200+
Events Listed Annually
80,000
Community Members
120+
Local Correspondents

✦ Partners & Supporters

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