Ojiya Study Abroad
About
OSA
Ojiya Study Abroad is a non-profit organisation aimed at helping international people learn the Japanese language and learn about Japanese culture on a small budget. OSA is fully supported by the City of Ojiya and offers individuals the opportunity to study in a more traditional Japanese environment. Through OSA you will be able to study in our lovely city from a few weeks to one year at a cost that is roughly half of what you would be paying for in a large language school that the big cities of Japan offer.
Depending on your age and school status you can choose to live either in one of our guest houses, or with a local family on one of our home stay programs. During the weekdays you can visit schools, temples, farms, nursing homes, gyms, or a variety of other places to immerse yourself into the community. On weekends there are various local activities waiting for you, such as festivals, tea ceremonies, folk dances, sporting events, or you can simply rest at home or spend time with your local host family.
Seasonal Events
Spring
After a long winter's slumber, Ojiya's flora comes to life in a burst of joyous color.
Ojiya has many Japanese cherry trees that blossom in Spring. People come from all over to see the beautiful pink and while flowers that fill the trees and float gently in the wind.
Ojiya's traditional bull sumo wrestling begins in May and continues through summer ending in mid fall. Bulls weighing nearly a ton collide in a test of strength. It is an event so old that it was described in Bakin Tazikawa's Nansou Satomu Hakkenden.
Summer
Summer is truly a time of celebration and festivals.
The Ojiya Festival is a three day extravaganza held in August which focuses on the citizens of Ojiya. On the first day several traditional dances are performed in a grand procession. The second day features a Karakuri lantern parade as well as a beautiful firework display boasting over 7,000 fireworks. The last day concludes with another Karakuri lantern parade and Bon dancing.
Many other smaller festivals are held throughout the summer months.
Fall
As the leaves turn to yellow and red, rice is harvested under the clear blue sky.
The Katakai Festival is held at the beginning of autumn. Crowds of people from all over Japan flock to see the amazing firework show. An estimated 15,000 fireworks are launched over the two day festival. The largest fireworks in the world are made in Katakai, Ojiya specifically for this festival.
Ojiya also boasts the highest quality koi, or nishikigoi, in Japan. At the end of October, Ojiya hold a competition featuring these beautiful fish. Prospective buyers come from all over the world to see the elegant carp.
Winter
If you love snow, you will love Ojiya. As far as the eye can see the land is covered in a thick white blanket.
In February, Ojiya holds a hot air balloon festival that is sure to make onlookers marvel at their beauty. The hot air balloons are illuminated at night creating a dream-like spectacle. The festival also has a firework performance, but the hot air balloons are the real showstoppers of this two day event.
Winter also is the season of New Year's events that are just as interesting if not more traditional.
