Festivals

Annual festivals and events have taken a hit in the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Things are some way off returning to normal, but there’s hope we can look forward to a brighter 2022 as some of the staples of our social calendar return. Kobe has a few well-established yearly celebrations on hold in 2020 and 2021. Some have been booked in for the coming year, albeit tentatively with a pencil at this stage. Here’s a handful that we can look forward to, fingers crossed! Japan Grand Shoes Collection & Nationwide Sandals Fair (Kobe International Exhibition Hall, January 19-20) This key event in the Japanese footwear industry occurs three times a year in Kobe. The January 2022 event is the 171st national fair, where around 500 businesses and tradespeople will exhibit a range of the latest shoes and sandals to anywhere between 5,000 and 20,000 attendees. Visit the website for the latest details on the event and what you need to do if planning to attend. Future fairs are scheduled for June 1-2 and October 12-13 in 2022. Official website: https://www.csia.or.jp/tenjikai/ Kobe Festival (May 14-15) This annual citywide festival is probably the most significant occasion in the…