J-LEARN - SEASONAL EVENTS

The 10th Jr. Japan Bowl will be on April 24, 2026. Study Guide will be published on November 1, 2025.

J2B 2025 PHOTOS

January-お正月・おしょうがつ (New Year's Day)

The New Year’s holiday starts on December 31st and lasts until January 3rd.

Explore with

Kids Web Japan

Traditional Japanese Toys by

Kids Web Japan

New Year's Shrine Visit by

Kids Web Japan

New Year's Rice Cakes by

Kids Web Japan

How to Pack Osechi Ryori by
Just One Cookbook

Oshogatsu songs by

Himawari

Oshogatsu song by

Kmarba Channel

January / February Quizlet

JAPAN in JANUARY by JNTO

February-節分・せつぶん (Setsubun)

Setsubun takes place on Risshun (りっしゅん), which is the day before the first day of spring according to the traditional Japanese calendar. Risshun typically falls around February 3.

Explore with

Kids Web Japan

Setsubun-Bean Throwing by

Kids Web Japan

Bean Throwing by

Kids Web Japan

Kawasaki Taishi Setsubun-kai by Sankei News

How To: Step-by-Step Sushi

at Home by Kikkoman USA

Oni no Pants song

by Kumarba Channel

Setsubun Story in Japanese

by Kids Tube

January / February Quizlet

JAPAN in FEBRUARY by JNTO

MARCH-ひな祭り・ひなまつり (Hinamatsuri)

Girls’ Day/Hina Matsuri, also called Momo-no-Sekku (もものせっく), is celebrated annually on March 3.

Explore with

Kids Web Japan

Hina-matsuri: Doll Festival

by Kids Web Japan

The Missing Doll manga by

Kids Web Japan

Hina Ningyo Dolls by

Japan Video Topics

Chirashi Sushi Recipe by

Japanese Cooking 101

Hina-matsuri song by

Kumarba channel

Hina-matsuri story in Japanese by

Kids Tube

March / April Quizlet

JAPAN IN MARCH by JINTO

APRIL-お花見・おはなみ (Cherry Blossom Viewing)

Japan is very famous for cherry blossoms, which bloom every spring. Japan gave 3,000 cherry trees to the US in 1912, which we enjoy at the Tidal Basin in Washington DC every year. In Japan, people enjoy going to see the cherry blossoms/Sakura (さくら). People like to sit under the trees and have a picnic with various Japanese foods, such as sushi. They call this tradition Ohanami (おはなみ), which means “to view cherry blossoms.”

Explore with

Kids Web Japan

Ohanami: Cherry-Blossom Viewing by Kids Web Japan

History of the Cherry Trees

by National Park Service

Somei Yoshino
Yoshino Cherry

How to make Sakura Mochi

by Just One Cookbook

Sakura Sakura by

Himawari

Sakura by

Naotaro Moriyama

March / April Quizlet

JAPAN IN APRIL by JINTO

May-こどもの日・こどものひ (Children's Day)

Children’s Day/Kodomo-no-Hi, which is also called Tanko-no-Sekku (たんごのせっく), is celebrated annually on May 5. Traditionally Kodomo-no-Hi celebrated boys, but today, the day celebrates the happiness and well-being of all children.

Explore with

Kids Web Japan

Children's Day By

Kids Web Japan

Carp Streamers by

Kids Web Japan

Children's Day Festival by

BBC

How to make Kashiwa Mochi

by Just One Cookbook

Koinobori Song by

Kmarba Channel

How to make Origami Kabuto by

Coto Academy

May-August Quizlet

JAPAN IN MAY by JINTO

July-七夕・たなばた (Star Festival)

The Star Festival/Tanabata (たなばた) is celebrated annually on July 7.
It is said that if you write your wish on a Tanzaku (たんざく), a long strip of paper, and tie it to a bamboo tree on the night before Tanabata your wish could come true.

Explore July Events with

Kids Web Japan

Tanabata by

Kids Web Japan

Making a Wish for Tanabata by

Kids Web Japan

Tanabata by

Nippon.com

Tanabata Crafts - Tanzaku & Koyori by the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix - RoHoEn

Tanabata Crafts - Origami Decorations by the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix - RoHoEn

Tanabata song by

Kumarba Channel

May-August Quizlet

JAPAN IN JULY by JINTO

August-お盆・おぼん (Bon Festival)

Obon (おぼん) is a Japanese holiday and custom that is closely associated with the Buddhist ghost festival called Urabon-e (うらぼんえ). According to the old Japanese calendar, Obon was from July 13 to July 15, but these days, Obon is observed in most parts of Japan from August 13 to August 15.

Explore August Events with

Kids Web Japan

Bon Holidays by

Kids Web Japan

Summer Festival by

Kids Web Japan

Ohaka Mairi Japanese Visiting The Family Grave Tradition by MAOS

Obon by

Tsunagu

Okuribi by

Japan in Photos

May-August Quizlet

JAPAN IN AUGUST by JINTO

NOVEMBER-七五三・しちごさん (Seven, Five, and Three Festival)

Shichi-Go-San (しちごさん) is a Japanese festival for three-and-seven-year-old girls and five-year-old boys that is observed annually on November 15. Parents take their children of these ages to a Shinto shrine/Jinja (じんじゃ) to offer thanks for having reached their respective ages and to receive blessings for the future. Parents used to lose their children due to poor health conditions. Age five was important for boys of the samurai class because they would be dressed in Hakama(はかま) (pleated, split skirt) and presented to their respective feudal lords. Age three is the time when children were allowed to grow out their hair.