1st January, 2008:
New Year's Day is the most important national holiday in Japan. This time Japanese get together with their families, restaurants, business houses, and shops close down.

3rd January 2008 :
Tamaseseri (Ball-Catching Festival) is the event where two groups of youths struggle to capture a sacred wooden ball. The winning team is supposed to have good luck the whole year.

6th January 2008 :
Dezomeshiki is the event where agile firemen dressed in traditional costumes prove their worth with acrobatic stunts atop tall bamboo ladders in this parade.

1st Sunday in February 2008 :
Oyster Festival, Matsushima is famous for its oysters, and this is the time they're considered to be at their best. Oysters are given out free at booths set up at the seaside park along the bay.

February 3rd or 4th , in 2008 :
Setsubun occurs at leading temples throughout Japan. According to the lunar calendar, this is the last day of winter; people throng to temples to participate in the traditional ceremony of throwing beans to drive away imaginary devils, yelling, "Evil go out, good luck come in."