Yokohama is known for its international flair and this month the French Tricolore will paint the city.

June is Yokohama-France Month and the Yokohama Nichi-Futsu Gakuin (Yokohama Japan-France Academy) is coordinating several events put on by various corporations and the government. The celebration is bound to leave a lasting impression on Francophiles.

Focusing mostly on art, music and food, events will be held in several spots throughout the city. Among the art exhibitions, a video collection is bound to be one of the highlights.

The Yokohama-France Video Collection will be exhibited from June 11 to 20 at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse in Naka Ward. Thirty video works have been acquired from France and its surrounding region. The pieces are all based on an annually decided theme. This year, the theme is "the perspective of another person."

Several concerts are set to introduce French music to the city. A classical chamber music orchestra will aim to please music lovers from July 3 to 9 at locations across the city. If you're looking for something more upbeat, multinational-rock band Caravan will play two shows (at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.) at the Red Brick Warehouse on June 19.

With your hunger for art and music quenched, fill your stomach next. During the festival, various restaurants in Yokohama, such as the InterContinental Yokohama Grand, will offer special menus and services. The InterContinental Yokohama Grand's Azure restaurant will present foodies with a full French course (lunch costs ¥3,360, dinner costs ¥8,400) and the Ocean Terrace restaurant will prepare a buffet of traditional dishes (lunch costs between ¥2,940-¥3,360, dinner costs ¥4,620).

So this month, instead of taking your spouse or partner on a date to Disneyland, take the chance to experience France — without the hassle of a long flight.

Yokohama-France Month will continue from June 10 till July 11. For further information on all scheduled events, please visit www.institut.jp/ja/evenements/9958