Nationwide Japan 2010 St. Patrick's Day Parade & Event Guide
By Japanzine Staff
the parades
There are nine St. Patrick's Day Parades being held around Japan in 2010, and these are all of them. Make sure you get to your local parade if you want to sample that world-famous craic, and be sure to wear green if you want to blend in!
Tokyo
Sunday March 14th
Now in its 19th year, the Tokyo St. Pat's Day Parade is the biggest in Asia. If you want to be among the tens of thousands who join this most public of celebrations every year, make sure you're around Omotesando between 14:00 and 16:00 on Sunday 14th. The "sub-theme" of this year's Tokyo parade is "Irish food" - beef stew fans take note!
Yokohama
Saturday March 20th
It's the chic Motomachi part of Yokohama where you'll find lots of green fun this year. The parade here runs from 13:00 to 16:00. As the English page on the organizers' official website reminds us, "People whom releted [sic] to Ireland: Lafcadio Hearn, James Joyce, Pogues, U2, Ireland Football [!], The Corrs, Enya."
Tsukuba
Saturday March 27th and Sunday March 28th
Starting at 15:00 on both days of this weekend, Tsukuba's parade makes up for its lateness by repeating itself. There will be "an Irish play" (something by Oscar Wilde?), Irish music, a parade and lots of quaffable fuel. The Tsukuba Centre Hiroba is where you'll need to be.
Nagoya
Saturday March 6th
This parade will practically paint Nag green on March 6th, and it's all organized by the good people at the Nagoya St. Patrick's Committee. The parade is centered around Osu shopping street and Osu Kannon, with live Irish music and dance in Osu Kouen at 12:30, followed by the parade itself running through Osu Shopping Center from 14:00 onwards. Get along to Osu wearing something green and lose yourself in the Irish music, dance, marching bands and... face painting!
Ise
Saturday March 13th
Mie-ken's "greatest phenomenon", with as many as 500 paraders... it can only be the Ise St. Patrick's Day Parade! Unfortunately details are thin on the ground because the parade's official website, like Mie Prefecture itself, is outdated by more than a year. Still, you can bet there will be Guinness flowing somewhere in Ise on the 13th!
sites.google.com/site/isepaddysdayparade/home
Kyoto
Sunday March 14th
The old capital's finest Irish pub, The Hill of Tara, is at the heart of this annual parade up and down Oike-dori. There will be face painting, stage events and a Jameson's whisky shindig all around the underground Zest Oike shopping center throughout the day, as well as the parade proper from 14:30 to 16:00 on street level, followed by the highlight of the day: the craic at The Hill of Tara, where a free live Irish music session is scheduled to run from 19:00 through to 21:00.
www.inj-kansai.com | www.thehilloftara.com
Matsue
Sunday March 14th
The Sanin Japan-Ireland Association is organizing this St. Patrick's Day Parade in Matsue, which is apparently in somewhere called Shimane prefecture. So if you happen to yourself there on March 14th, at least you'll be able to console yourself with some Guinness and dancing! The parade runs from 11:00 till 15:00, presumably with more revelry to follow...
Kumamoto
Saturday March 6th
Yes, even Kumamoto has a St. Patrick's Day Parade going on. It all begins at 14:30 on Saturday 6th in and around the Sun Road arcade, wherever that is. There's also an after event at Restaurant Angelo, featuring live music from Japanese Irish folk musicians Irish Cream, for which admission costs ¥4,000.
Okinawa
Saturday March 13th
Call 098-937-9345 for details of this particular parade. (They're still waiting for the internet down in Okinawa...)
the events
Tokyo
The Undertones LIVE
Saturday 6th March, Sunday 7th March
Legendary Irish punk band The Undertones are all ready to play in Tokyo for the first time. Get your Teenage Kicks at Shinjuku's ANTIKNOCK on March 6th and again at Takadanobaba's AREA venue on March 7th! Doors open at 18:00, so don't be late!
03-5330-9141 | www2.odn.ne.jp/vinyl-japan
St. Patrick's Day @ Hobgoblin Pubs in Roppongi and Shibuya
Sunday 14th March and Wednesday 17th March
Those generous people at Hobgoblin will be handing out free taxi coupons at the Tokyo parade on March 14th, while both Shibuya and Roppongi Hobgoblin pubs will have Guinness at ¥800 and Irish whiskey at ¥500 after the parade and on St. Patrick's Day (the 17th). They'll also be serving up some of the best Irish food in Tokyo!
St. Patrick's Day Special @ Geronimo in Roppongi
Wednesday 17th March
Dye your liver green with Irish Flag and Green Illusion shots half-price (¥500) all night long!
03-3438-7449 | www.geronimoshotbar.com
St. Patrick's Day Special @ Mogambo in Roppongi
Wednesday 17th March
If your liver tires of Geronimo's cheap drinks, why not nip over to Mogambo, where they've also got Green Illusion and Irish Flag shots at half-price (¥500) all night? Convenient, eh!
03-3403-4833 | www.mogambo.net
The Mother of All Paddy's Nights @ Shimokitazawa Garden
Thursday March 18th, 17:00-22:30
An evening of rocking folk 'n' trad Irish music and "world dance" (you read that right!) organized by Rockstar Circus and Johnsons Motorcar, featuring Japan’s hottest Irish music act - that's Johnsons Motorcar - and more special guests than you'll be able to count after 10 pints of the dark stuff!
email | www.johnsonmotorcar.com
St. Patrick's Day Symposium @ Roundstone Irish Pub & Restaurant
Sunday 21st March, 14:00-20:00
Members and non-members of the Japan Ireland Society can get together at Roundstone in Tennozu Isle, Tokyo, to celebrate St. Patrick's Day through workshops, music and dance.
THE WILD ROVER @ Club Asia/Vuenos/Glad/Lounge Neo
Monday March 22nd
This annual Irish music event is set up to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Tokyo - Irish punk, traditional folk, stomp, swing, etc. - simultaneously across four Tokyo venues. The action kicks off early (15:00) and finishes extremely late. Tickets at any of the venues are ¥3,300 in advance or ¥3,800 on the door.
03-5720-9999 | www.thewildrover.info
Nagoya
Nagoya St. Patrick's Day Parade After Event @ Shooters Bar
Saturday March 6th and Wednesday March 17th
OK, so the Nagoya St. Patrick's Day Parade is being held on March 6th yet the actual date of Paddy's Day 2010 is March 17th... what does an enthusiastic bar do? Simple: it holds the official After Event for St. Pat's Day revelers on Saturday 6th (starting at 16:00) and then does it all again on Wednesday 17th! Oh and on both dates they've got green beer, cheap Guinness and Irish Car Bombs, four-leaf clovers and, believe it or not, leprechauns! Yes, actual leprechauns... That's Shooters for you!
052-202-7077
St. Patrick's Day Specials @ Elephant's Nest
Saturday March 6th and 15th-21st
It may pride itself on being an authentic English pub, but like most Englishmen the Elephant's Nest has a secret respect for its Guinness-swilling friends across the pond. You want proof of that? Get along to the Elephant's Nest and treat yourself to ¥600 Guinness on March 6th and anytime between March 15th and 21st!
052-232-4360
Osaka
St. Patrick's Day Week @ Dublin Bay, Chuo-ku
Monday March 15th to Sunday 21st
There are specials on offer at Dublin Bay from 15:00 till late every day of "St. Patrick's Week" - yep, that's a whole seven days of green beer!
06-6213-1122 | www.irishpub-dublinbay.com
Kobe
St. Patrick’s Day @ Hobgoblin Kobe
Wednesday 17th March
Get down to the Hobgoblin in Kobe on St. Patrick's Day for cheap pints of Guinness and Kilkenny (¥700), as well as real Irish food!
To download a PDF of this story as it appears in the magazine, click here
Latest Forum Threads
Ladies Lounge #3 @ Bar Gari Gari - February 19, 2012Website Of The Week: T Enami: Enigmatic Photographer of the Meiji and Taisho Eras
Shiho and Miharu's Bday Party / Safari @ Gen's 2nd - February 4th, 2012
Kagero and Adas Mexico @ Club Upset - February 4, 2012
Face Slimmer (AKA the weird lips the Japanese woman had in her mouth!)
Face Slimmer (AKA that thing the Japanese woman had in her mouth)
KFC Double Down Touches Down in Nippon
The Film Freak February 2012
Ask Kazuhide: Special Varentines Romance Edition!!
Irie Night @ Tracks Bar - January 28, 2012
Yoshi's Blend: A Short Film by Mackenzie Sheppard
Safari @ Gen's 2nd - January 27, 2012
Violent Immigration Surprise Housecall Startles (Legal) Resident
Mogambo turns 20!
After School Lessons for Tohoku Children
Would You Eat Wendy's Foie Gras Burger?
The Film Freak - January, 2012
Narita Airport's Secret Prisons
Website Of The Week: Bento.com
Geronimo 18th Anniversary - January 21, 2012