The Nishinomiya City International Association in Hyogo Prefecture will hold a Yukata Day from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on July 5 in which foreigners can learn how to wear the summer kimono and enjoy a tea ceremony afterward.

Participation is ¥500. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 0798-32-8680.

The association is near Nishinomiya Station on the JR Kobe Line.

For more information, visit www.nishi.or.jp/homepage/nia/pdf/2014yukata.pdf (in English).

Learn Japanese, tea ceremony in Kyoto

The Kyoto City International Community House will offer beginners' courses of 12 sessions each for learning Japanese and traditional tea ceremony, starting in July.

The Japanese lessons, from July 4 to Aug. 12, will run two hours and be held two times a day, twice a week, starting at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Details can be found at www.kcif.or.jp/HP/jigyo/nihongo/en/yasashii/nihongo.html.

The tea ceremony classes will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays from July 1 to Sept. 30. More information is available at www.kcif.or.jp/HP/jigyo/tabunka/en/fureai/.

Participation for the Japanese lessons is ¥8,000, while the fee for the tea ceremony classes is ¥7,000 for foreigners and ¥20,000 for Japanese citizens.

The venue is Kyoto International Community House, known as Kokoka, a six-minute walk from Keage Station on the Tozai Line. The contact number is 075-752-3511.

Health advice for children available for free

The Minoh Association for Global Awareness in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, will hold a free session from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 1 for foreign residents in need of health-related expert advice for their children.

Translation service will be available in Chinese, English, Filipino, Indonesian and Korean. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 072-727-6912.

The association can be accessed by taking Hankyu Bus 30, 51, 55, 56, 58, 59, 66 or 79 from Kitasenri Station on the Hankyu Senri Line and getting off at the Onohara stop.

For more information, check mafga.or.jp/en/ (in English).

International summer party on tap in Nagoya

The International Cross Culture Promotion Center in Nagoya will host an international exchange summer party July 12.

Games and an introduction to Japanese culture and the Bon festival dance will be featured at the event, which will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Participation is ¥1,000 for foreigners and ¥2,000 for Japanese citizens. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 080-1559-9744 or sending email to [email protected].

The venue is Nagoya International Center, a seven-minute walk from Nagoya Station.

To find out more about the party, go to www.kokusai1.org/event/?p=713 (in Japanese).

Tokugawaen Garden hosting special events

Tokugawaen Garden in Nagoya is holding special features until the middle of July related to the rainy season and the Star Festival.

A tea ceremony, in which participants can drink tea made from freshly harvested Gifu Prefecture leaves, will be held for ¥500 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 29. The first 50 children dressed in summer "yukata" can have their pictures taken for free by professional photographers between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on July 6.

Visitors can also borrow traditional Japanese paper umbrellas for ¥100, until July 13.

Admission to Tokugawaen is ¥300 for high school students and older. It takes 10 minutes on foot to the garden from Ozone Station on the JR Chuo Honsen Line.

More info can be found at www.tokugawaen.city.nagoya.jp/01_event/index.html (in Japanese) or call 052-935-8988.