The annual festival to pray for the right amount of rain for a good harvest will take place March 9 at Kifune Shrine in Kyoto starting at 10 a.m.

Admission is free. The shrine can be accessed by taking Kyoto bus 33 from Kibuneguchi Station on the Eizan Densha Line and getting off at Kibune.

For further information, check kifunejinja.jp/index.html (in Japanese) or call 075-741-2016.

U.S. movie 'Beginners' showing for free

The National Museum of Ethnology in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, will show the U.S. film "Beginners" for free from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 16.

The film, about a father who comes out as a gay at the age of 75 and his son, will be screened in English and French with Japanese subtitles. No reservations are required. Numbered tickets will be distributed starting at 10 a.m. on the day of the showing.

The museum is 15 minutes on foot from Koen Higashiguchi Station on the Osaka Monorail.

Information is available at www.minpaku.ac.jp/museum/event/fs/movies1403 (in Japanese) or by calling 06-6878-8210.

Osaka Asian Film Festival gets underway

The Osaka Asian Film Festival 2014 is underway through March 16.

Movies from various countries and areas, including China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, will be shown. Tickets are ¥1,400 per film.

The festival is being held in nine venues in the city of Osaka.

For more details, go to www.oaff.jp/2014/en/index.html (in English) or call 06-6292-6199.

St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 15 in Nagoya

The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Nagoya will take place March 15.

Irish dancers and musicians will start the procession at 2 p.m. at Osu Kannon. Anyone can join the parade as long as they are wearing something green.

The venue is close to Osu Kannon Station on the Tsurumai Line.

To find out more about the event, go to inj.or.jp/en (in English) or send an email to inj-[email protected] .

Stargazing event at Nagoya Science Museum

Stargazers can take in the heavens through telescopes set up on the rooftop of the Nagoya City Science Museum from 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 5.

Reservations are required and can be made by sending a reply-paid card to the museum by March 15. Participation is ¥700 for adults and ¥300 for junior high and elementary school students.

The museum is a five-minute walk from Fushimi Station on the Higashiyama and Tsurumai subway lines.

More info is available at www.ncsm.city.nagoya.jp/visit/attraction/event/2014/10_1.html (in Japanese). The number is 052-201-4486.