Eagles 5 - 6 Mar 2011
Californian rock band the Eagles bring their world tour to the Tokyo Dome. The Grammy Award-winners perform hits from their latest chart-topping album, Long Road Out of Eden, as well as old classics like Hotel California and Heartache Tonight.

Togo Shrine Markets 6 Mar 2011 (monthly)
The lively Togo Shrine Markets occur once a month in Jingumae. From dawn onwards, locals browse through old plates, folk arts, traditional dolls, and junk, with the shrine as a backdrop. There are great bargains amongst the second-hand kimono racks.


Tagata Fertility Festival (Hounen Matsuri) Mar 2011 (annual)
The Tagata Fertility Festival involves the procession of a two-metre, phallus-shaped wooden sculpture through the small farming town of Komaki. The festival, Hounen Matsuri, is an offering to the local Shinto deities in the hope of a bountiful harvest.
Before the procession begins, barrels of sake (rice wine) are opened and distributed among the crowd. The Shinto priest leads the procession, followed by local musicians playing ritual music on bamboo flutes. Numerous wooden phalli are carried by villagers hoping for a bumper crop. Pregnant women will ask the bearers to let them touch the tip of the biggest phallus, which is supposed to bring a safe birth and good health for their baby.
The largest phallus is eventually carried into the shrine and offered to the gods amid great celebration.


Japan Fashion Week 18 - 25 Mar 2011 (various dates)
During Japan's biannual Fashion Week, high-flyers of the fashion industry gather at shows in Tokyo Midtown Hall to size up the new Spring/Summer or Autumn/Winter collection. Fashion fever grips the entire capital and some events are open to the public.


ISU World Figure Skating Championships 21 - 27 Mar 2011 (annual)
More than 200 professional male and female skaters swirl gracefully around the rink during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The competition changes location every year and in 2011 is held at the National Gymnasium in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park.

The March Basho 13 - 27 Mar 2011 (annual)
The greatest Sumo wrestlers in Japan, and therefore the world, meet at the Osaka Municipal Gymnasium for The March Basho, one of the year's six Grand Tournaments. Crowds cheer as meaty men fight for victory using throws, trips and tricks.
The men are giants and they attempt to eject each other from the four-and-a-half metre circle or throw each other to the hard clay floor. The backdrop to the action provides constant reminders of the history and reverence of the occasion, from the Gyoji's (referee's) fan - a sign of authority - to the symbolic salt scattering before each contest.
The large arena provides many seating alternatives, from a simple cushion in the isu-seki (balcony) to a box-seki (similar to a corporate box) in the Kokugikan at the back. The best seats in the house are those situated closest to the dohyo (the ring).


Tokyo International Anime Fair 24 - 27 Mar 2011 (annual)
Tokyo, the anime capital of the world, hosts an international fair dedicated to those much-loved Japanese cartoons. Trade stalls, exhibitions, screenings and the Tokyo Anime Awards take over the capital's Big Sight centre for the four-day event.
Note that the first two days are trade only, when designers, animators and amateurs hob-nob with industry moguls. The doors open to the public on the Saturday and Sunday.


The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition Feb - Mar 2011; not Mon (annual)
The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition showcases works by the country's finest modern artists at the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art. Visitors can view paintings, sculpture and calligraphy from both established professionals and talented newcomers.

Cherry Blossom Viewing Mar - Apr 2011 (annual) Admire delicate cherry blossom during Tokyo's spring-time hanami season. Have a sake party under the pinky-white flowers (Shinjyuku Gyoen garden and Ueno and Sumida parks are popular spots) or rent a rowing boat around the tree-lined moats of Chidorigafuchi castle.
Due to the seasonal nature of this event, the dates we provide for this event are a guideline only. Please contact the local tourist office to find out more about this year's cherry blossom viewing before making travel arrangements.


Cherry Blossoms at Yoshinoyama Mar - Apr 2011 (annual)
Admiring the Hanami cherry blossoms at Yoshinoyama is a Japanese tradition that goes back centuries. With about 30,000 cherry trees covering the entire mountain, the vista is breathtaking. Visit in April or early May for a good chance of some action. The season here is also longer than usual, as the 1000 trees at the foot of the mountain bloom first. The blossoming gradually progresses upwards, reaching the last 1000 or so trees nearly a month later.

According to legend, it was here at Yoshino that the goddess of spring - Konohana-sakuyahime - first appeared on Earth. They say she was able to descend from heaven by taking possession of a cherry tree with her spirit. Consequently, people have gathered under blossoming cherry trees throughout the ages, to offer prayers to Konohana-sakuyahime for a bountiful harvest


Cherry Blossom Viewing in Kyoto Mar - Apr 2011 (annual)
Kyoto's most famous spot for the annual ritual of hanami (cherry blossom viewing), Philosopher's Path is a shady trail along a small canal. In keeping with Kyoto's refined image, this is a shady trail along a small canal. In keeping with Kyoto's refined image, this is a gentle affair of couples walking hand in hand.
Try as they might, even the Japanese are not able to predict exactly when the cherry blossoms will bloom, but it is usually a safe bet to aim for late March/early April. As soon as the blossoms start to open, sightseers rush from near and far to catch their transient beauty, the progress of the flowers is much discussed on national TV, and photographers descend in droves.