MITAMA MATSURI OF REMEMBRANCE
This spectacular and controversial festival takes place in Tokyo`s Yasukuni shrine at the beginning of July and honours the 2.5 million dead of Japan`s wars including, since 1989, fourteen Class-A war criminals. Definately one of Japan`s most beautiful festivals it is a low-key almost private event that attracts worldwide attention due to the difficult reputation of the shrine and it sometimes myopic remembrances of Japan`s history.



END OF WAR CELEBRATIONS
The end of the Pacific war is remembered every year on August 15th at Tokyo`s controversial and devisive Yasukuni shrine. Each year the attendance of well known politicians makes headlines and causes friction with Korea and China. While some come to genuinely mourn Japan`s war dead many groups congregate at the shrine this day to display their pride in Japan`s Imperial past and scuffles between rightwing nationalists and pacifists often break-out.



HI WATARI FIRE WALKING FESTIVAL
This matsuri takes place on Mount Takao near Tokyo every March and is one of the most famous of the Hiwatari or firewalking festivals in Japan. Yamabushi or mountain priests, dressed in yellow and purple, light and walk across a huge bonfire of ceder branches in a tradition that has it roots in Shinto nature worship but also the warrior spirit of the Samurai fighting monks.



TSUKIJI WHOLESALE FISH MARKET
This market is central Tokyo is the largest and busiest fish market in the World and home to some of the best and freshest sushi in Japan. Long a famous "must-see" for Japan`s tourists its future popularity is uncertain with depleted fish stocks and rising oil prices affecting Japan`s fishing industry as well as plans to move it to another location and the need to restrict access due to problems caused by increasing visitor numbers.