Chiba Nanohana News (April 21, 2026)

 Index

I.News     II.Festivals and Events     III.Exhibitions, Concerts, etc

I.News

1)Chiba Consultation Service for Foreign Residents

The Chiba International Center runs a Consultation Service for Foreign Residents so that all foreign residents can live a comfortable life at ease in Chiba Prefecture.

You can consult them by phone or through the online consultation form. Your privacy will be protected. If necessary, consultation staff can refer you to specialized organizations or groups that can offer further assistance.

 

Are you facing problems in any of the following areas?

•  Residency status (visa), marriage or divorce, domestic violence (DV), childbirth, child-rearing, hospitals, schools, learning Japanese, work, housing, driver’s license, incidents or accidents, social insurance or taxes, or other aspects of daily life
• Legal or Social Problems
   * The Chiba International Center also provides free legal consultations for foreign residents regarding residency status (visa), international marriage, naturalization, divorce mediation, procedures at government offices, etc. via a lawyer or immigration specialist (by appointment only).
  * Please check the Chiba International Center's website for more details.

• Consultation hours: Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) 9 AM - 12 PM, 1 PM - 4 PM
• Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Nepalese, Thai, Portuguese, Indonesian, Russian, Hindi
• Methods of consultation: telephone, online consultation form, or face-to-face at the Chiba International Center
  Tel: 043-297-2966 (consultation hotline) Fax: 043-297-2753
  Online consultation form
• Location: Chiba International Center, Makuhari Techno Garden Building D, 14th Floor,
  1-3 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba City
• Access: 5-minute walk from Kaihin-Makuhari Station (JR Keiyo Line)

II.Festivals and Events 

1) HOJO BEACH MARKET／Hojo Beach〔Tateyama City〕

Tateyama City, which lies on the southern tip of Chiba Prefecture, is hosting a seaside market event. The festivities, centered around the concept of a “seaside getaway,” will include over 100 tents and food trucks lined up on an open grass field. Tateyama Bay, with its calm waves, rests on the opening to Tokyo Bay  surrounded by capes. Here, with Mt. Fuji as the backdrop, the light glints off the ocean’s surface like a mirror. For this reason, Tateyama Bay is lovingly referred to by another name, kagamigaura (“the seashore of mirrors”).

This year, the market will be held a total of 6 times to allow as many people as possible to experience the charms of the bay. Why not spend a moment relaxing and enjoying delicious food and other goods at the magnificent Tateyama Bay?

 

• 2026 Schedule: April 25, May 30, July 4, September 5, November 7, December 12 (all Saturdays), 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
  ※Backup day: Sunday (the following day)
• Venue: Hojo Beach, Tateyama City
• Access: (By train) 10-minute walk from Tateyama Station west exit (JR Uchibo Line)
• Inquiries: Administrative office 090-4053-3670
• HOJO BEACH MARKET website

2) Otaki Machirche Market: Bamboo Shoot Festival／Otaki Prefectural Forest〔Otaki Town〕

Take in the charms of Otaki at the Otaki Machirche Market, where the town’s beloved bamboo shoots play a starring role in the festival.

Thanks to the clay-like soil that they are grown in, Otaki’s bamboo shoots are soft in texture and low in bitterness, a point of pride for the town. You are sure to find your happy place in Otaki, bathed in the spring sunlight and surrounded by exciting stalls and seasonal flavors.

 

• Date: April 25, 2026 (Saturday), 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Venue: Otaki Prefectural Forest / 486-21 Otaki, Otaki Town
• Access: (By car) 20 minutes from the Ichihara-Tsurumai IC on the Ken-o Expressway
• Inquiries: Tera-no-shita cafe COCORO 0470-83-0272
• Otaki Machirche Market website 

3)Iidaka Danrin New Greenery Festival／Hanko-ji Temple〔Sosa City〕

The former Iidaka Danrin Buddhist Seminary (Hanko-ji Temple) flourished as the oldest, biggest, and most prestigious school in the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. You can still see several buildings preserved in their original state, with the lecture hall and main gate designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. At the annual New Greenery Festival that takes place in late April, a local string orchestra as well as musicians from both around and outside the country put on a concert in the grand auditorium, which visitors can enjoy on the grounds surrounded by fresh greenery.

This period also welcomes the peak season for peonies, with over 500 of these lovely red and pink flowers dancing in full bloom in the garden behind the lecture hall.

Come enjoy both the touching music and the colors of spring in the middle of this world of pleasant, new green.

■Viewing period for peonies：Late April 2026
※Viewing period may change based on weather.

 

• Date: April 26, 2026 (Sunday). 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ※Will be cancelled in the event of rain
• Venue: Iidaka Danrin (Hanko-ji Temple)
• Access
  (By car) 15 minutes from the Sosa IC on the Choshi Renraku Road, or 30 minutes from the Narita IC on the Higashi-Kanto Expressway
  (By train) 20-minute taxi from Yokaichiba Station (JR Sobu Main Line)
  (Other) Free tourism loop bus from Sosa Tourism and Product Center Meguri-no-Sato coming soon
• Inquiries: Sosa City Lifelong Learning Division 0479-67-1266

4)Yachiyo Hometown Family Festival「Koinobori Big Swim」／Shinkawa Yurayura Bridge〔Yachiyo City〕

During the Golden Week period, come enjoy the koinobori (carp streamer) big swim, a staple of spring. Approximately 100 koinobori are fastened to the Shinkawa Yurayura Bridge, making it appear as if the fish are swimming through the vast sky.

This event was started with the goal of passing on the concept of “hometown” from generation to generation.

Among the many streamers is a koinobori resembling an eel, which has become known as the famous “Eel of Good Fortune.”

Stop by and enjoy a fine spring day with your kids!

 

• Period: April 29, 2026 (Wednesday; national holiday) to May 6, 2026 (Wednesday; observed holiday)
• Venue: Shinkawa Yurayura Bridge／Kayada, Yachiyo City
• Access: (By train) 15-minute walk from Murakami Station or Yachiyo-chuo Station  (Toyo Rapid Line)
• Inquiries: Yachiyo Hometown Family Festival Committee Administrative Office 047-483-1771

III.Exhibitions, Concerts, etc

1)Special Exhibition「Herbal Medicine: Nature’s Gift」The Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba×The Apothecary Diaries／The Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba〔Chiba City〕

This exhibition, focusing mainly on the Former Chiba Medicinal Herb Garden Specimen Collection, introduces the history and special characteristics of herbal medicine, made from herbs, minerals, and other natural materials. Trace the history of how humans acquired medicine from nature, explore the wisdom of medicinal herbs symbolized by the legend of Shennong, a mystical deity and Chinese emperor, and discover the stories told by a diverse array of herbal medicines. Additionally, as part of a collaboration with the light novel series “The Apothecary Diaries,” visitors can listen in on a conversation between the author of the series and a specialist in the field, take pictures at a special photo spot, and experience other activities that further enhance the enjoyment of the world of herbal medicine.

＜Exhibition Content＞

Chapter 1: The Beginnings of Herbal Medicine／Chapter 2: Nature’s Gift／Chapter 3: Learning From the Past／Chapter 4: Miracle Drugs／Chapter 5: The Work of Pharmacists in the Present

＜The Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba×『The Apothecary Diaries』Collaboration Event＞

1. Talk Show: Poison and Medicine, April 29 (Wednesday; national holiday), 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
   Natsu Hyuga, author of “The Apothecary Diaries,” with Professor Mami Yamazaki
   ※Requires advance registration
2. Special clear bookmark (present)
3. Exhibition of high-resolution digital color illustrations from the The Apothecary Diaries
4. “The Apothecary Diaries” character photo spot

※Additional events to take place. See official website for details.

 

• Date: Open from now until June 15 (Monday; Chiba Prefectural Citizen’s Day), 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (entry ends at 4:00 p.m.)
• Venue: Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba／955-2 Aoba-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City
• Entry fee: ¥500 for adults, ¥250 for high school and university students, free for children middle school age and below, seniors 65 and older, and those with disabilities and one companion (must present disability certificate)
• Access:
  (By car) 5 minutes from the Matsugaoka IC on the Keiyo Expressway
  (By train) 20-minute walk from Chibadera Station (Keisei Chihara Line)
• Inquiries: The Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba TEL: 043-265-3111

 

 

I.News     II.Festivals and Events     III.Exhibitions, Concerts, etc