The Kyoto City International Foundation is inviting foreign residents to join a walk on April 5 to take in the cherry blossoms.

The promenade will start at 9:30 a.m. at the Kyoto International Community House, known as "kokoka," and move on to the Lake Biwa Canal Museum, Lake Biwa Canal and the Shinomiya Lookout Point before finishing at JR Yamashina Station at 3:30 p.m.

Participation is free but registration is necessary and can be made by calling 075-752-3511.

Kokoka is a six-minute walk from Keage Station on the Tozai Line. For further information, go to www.kcif.or.jp/HP/jigyo/volunteer/jp/club/news/index.html (in English).

Charity walk in Osaka to benefit UNICEF

The Osaka Association for UNICEF will host a charity walk in Hanahaku Kinen Koen Tsurumi Ryokuchi in Osaka from 10 a.m. to noon April 5.

Participation is ¥500 for adults and ¥200 for high school and junior high school students, a portion of which will be donated to prevent malnutrition among children around the world. Preregistration by calling 06-6645-5123 or sending an email to [email protected] is recommended, but it is also possible for participants to drop by and join on the day of the event.

The park is near Tsurumi-ryokuchi Station on the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line. Participants will meet north of the park's No. 2 parking lot. Information is available at www.unicef-osaka.jp/act/index.html (in Japanese).

Japanese-language lessons in Nishinomiya

The Nishinomiya City International Association in Hyogo Prefecture will offer 10 lessons from April to June for people learning Japanese.

The lessons at three different levels will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Wednesday from April 23 to June 25. The cost is ¥5,000 in total, including textbooks. Applications can be accepted by phone at 0798-32-8680 or email to [email protected].

The association is near Nishinomiya Station on the JR Kobe Line. To find out more, go to www.nishi.or.jp/homepage/nia/pdf/nihongo_e.pdf (in English).

Nagoya Castle Spring Festival gets underway

The Nagoya Castle Spring Festival is running until May 6, and through April 10 the castle is staying open until 7:30 p.m. to let visitors enjoy the cherry blossoms longer.

Admission is ¥500 for adults and free for junior high students and younger. Various music performances are scheduled, featuring koto on March 29, shamisen on March 30 and Japanese drums on April 5. Visitors can join a tea ceremony for ¥800 on March 30 and April 6. The castle is a five-minute walk from Shiyakusho Station on the Meijo Line. For more details, visit www.nagoyajo.city.nagoya.jp (in Japanese) or call 052-231-1700.

Parade of floats featured at Inuyama Festival

The annual Inuyama Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on April 5 and 6 in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture. The highlight will be a parade of 13 three-layered floats 8 meters in height, all of which will be lit with 365 lanterns at night.

The festival takes place a few minutes on foot from Inuyama Station on the Meitetsu Inuyama, Hiromi and Komaki lines. More information is available at ml.inuyama.gr.jp/en/festivals-and-events-en/2080 (in English). The contact number is 0568-61-6000.