2026 Hwasun Unju Culture Festival: Explore the Mystery of a Thousand Buddhas and Enjoy Traditional Korean Experiences

Hwasun Unju Culture Festival

🗓️ 2026.11.07 ~ 2026.11.08

The Hwasun Unju Culture Festival is a representative cultural festival held at Hwasun Unjusa, a mysterious temple site where a thousand Buddhist statues and stone pagodas reside in every valley. In the tranquil temple grounds, where the legend of the Reclining Buddha—which has embraced a thousand years of time—harmonizes with numerous stone pagodas, various cultural and artistic programs unfold for people of all ages and genders. From heart-stirring traditional bell-ringing and Pungmulnori (folk percussion music) to music performances of various genres that enhance the excitement of the festival grounds, participatory missions to explore various parts of Unjusa and rich traditional and cultural experiences are provided. As the autumn deepens, visitors can take a journey through time and space into the mysterious legend of a thousand Buddhas and a thousand pagodas, creating warm rest and special memories.

Programs

1. Unjusa Bell-Ringing Event

The Unjusa Bell-Ringing Event opens the festival with the deep, resonant sound of the temple bell, offering a reflective start to the two-day celebration.

2. Admiring Market (Low and Less)

The Admiring Market (Low and Less) offers a calmer market experience, inviting visitors to slow down and appreciate the quieter details of the festival atmosphere.

3. Buddhist Statue Unveiling Ceremony

This ceremony provides a solemn and meaningful moment, highlighting the Buddhist heritage of Unjusa and its long history of stone statues and pagodas.

4. Experience Programs

Temple food experience using vegetarian ingredients
Photo printing SNS event
Drawing and writing wishes on roof tiles: Displayed in the courtyard of Daeungjeon Hall
Hwasun Wood Culture Experience Center: Woodcraft experience, making wooden houses, etc.

5. Resident Participation Programs

Dojang-ri field song demonstration, History and Culture Research and Preservation Society, Doam Women’s Association

6. Performance Programs

A variety of music performances will fill the festival grounds, adding rhythm and energy across different genres throughout the event.

Event Information

📍 Address: Daecho-ri, Doam-myeon, Hwasun-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 061-373-5482

Unjusa

Unjusa is a Buddhist temple on the slopes of Cheonbulsan, or “Thousand Buddhas Mountain,” in Hwasun-gun, South Jeolla Province. The name means “Temple of the Cloud Jewel.” In Korean it is often called the “Mystery Temple,” a nickname that comes from the stone figures scattered across its grounds.

Most Korean temples follow a common layout: prayer halls, gates, and wooden pavilions arranged along a central axis. Unjusa does not follow that layout. Its most recognizable features are stone Buddhas and stone pagodas standing in open fields. More than one hundred of these figures are spread across the property, either alone or in small groups. Some are larger than life; some are no higher than a person’s waist. They are carved from local stone and placed without obvious symmetry. There is no central row, no clear beginning or end. The collection appears to have been built up over time, but not according to any plan that is visible today.

The temple is traditionally said to have been founded in the early Goryeo period by Doseon, a monk known for geomancy and for reading the spiritual qualities of mountains and water. The common account is that the temple was built to protect the young state and calm unsettling features in the landscape. That may explain why the site was chosen, but it does not explain the number or variety of statues. The reasons behind the stone figures are not recorded. Some historians suggest a royal vow to place a thousand Buddhas at the temple. Others have proposed a military purpose, or a display of state-sponsored Buddhist devotion. Local folklore tells a different story: monks made the stones walk to the site during the night.

Today the collection can be seen directly. Standing Buddhas, seated Buddhas, and Buddhas wearing thin stone hats stand alongside pagodas of plain, compact construction. The phrase “Thousand Buddhas” does not mean that one thousand statues were ever present. It refers to a devotional convention: by moving from stone to stone, offering a sincere bow at each one, a pilgrim may carry his or her wishes to the mountain.

Unjusa remains an open place rather than a tightly organized complex. The unresolved questions about the figures are part of its character, but the site does not depend on solving them. The Hwasun Unju Culture Festival uses the fields as a setting for performances and events, but the stone Buddhas are not an exhibit or an installation. They are simply there, in the grass, and they do not need an explanation to be worth looking at.

October 24, 2026

How to Join the Nagoya Heroes Pilgrimage Stamp Rally (2026-2027): Explore Samurai History and Local Gourmet Treats

Nagoya Heroes Pilgrimage Stamp Rally – Conquer the Warlords and Local Specialties!

For those who find the intersection of history and gastronomy compelling, Nagoya offers a unique opportunity to trace the footsteps of Japan’s most influential military commanders. The Nagoya Heroes Pilgrimage Stamp Rally is an immersive urban exploration that invites participants to visit sites dedicated to legendary figures—including Toyotomi Hidenaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kato Kiyomasa, and Maeda Toshiie—while simultaneously indulging in the city’s renowned culinary landscape.

Unlike a standard sightseeing tour, this event gamifies the experience of historical discovery. By combining “sacred site” visits with gourmet checkpoints, the rally ensures that the journey is as rewarding for the palate as it is for the mind.

Event Overview: How to Participate

To begin your journey, you must first obtain a stamp rally booklet. These are available at various designated locations throughout Nagoya City, including several tourist information centers. To “conquer” the rally, participants must visit a total of nine specific spots: all six commander-related sites and any three of the thirty available gourmet and souvenir locations.

● Event Period: Saturday, October 10, 2026 – Monday, January 11, 2027 (Public Holiday)

Participation Fee: Free. However, please note that transportation costs and any expenses incurred at eating, drinking, or souvenir shops are the responsibility of the participant.
Flexibility: The order in which you collect stamps is entirely up to you.
Limit: Stamp booklets are limited to one per person.

For a detailed look at the rally structure, you may view the Stamp Rally Booklet PDF.

Commander Spots: Journey through the Stories of Heroes

The commander spots are designated as self-stamping locations. This means you are responsible for applying the stamp to your booklet; local staff at these sites will not do so for you.

1⃣ Toyotomi Museum

Address: 23-1 Kinoshitayashiki, Nakamura-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City (Located inside Nakamura Park)
Stamping Location: Museum Shop Rest Area
Business Hours: 9:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)
Closed: Generally open every day, though temporary closures may occur at the organizer’s convenience.
Nearest Station: Approximately a 10-minute walk from “Nakamura Koen” Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line.
Note: The Museum Shop is a free area. Admission to the “Toyotomi Brothers! Nagoya Nakamura Taiga Drama Hall” is paid, though free entry can be earned via the Commander Award.

2⃣ Asahi Shrine

Address: 3-22-21 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: In front of the shrine office
Business Hours: 8:00–17:00
Closed: Generally open every day
Nearest Station: Approximately a 5-minute walk from “Sakae” Station on the Higashiyama and Meijo Subway Lines.

3⃣ Okehazama Battlefield Tourist Information Center

Address: 2037 Makiyama, Okehazama, Midori-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Inside the Tourist Information Center
Business Hours: 10:00–16:00
Closed: Year-end and New Year holidays
Nearest Station: From Meitetsu Arimatsu Station, take a city bus to the “Okehazama Kosenjo Koen” stop (approx. 3-minute walk).

4⃣ Osu Shopping District

Address: 3-38-9 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Next to the elevator at the Osu Shopping District Association Hall
Business Hours: 10:00–22:00 (Hours applicable specifically to the stamp location)
Closed: December 29th – January 3rd
Nearest Station: Approximately a 5-minute walk from “Osu Kannon” Station (Tsurumai Line) or “Kamimaezu” Station (Meijo Line).

5⃣ Nagoya Castle

Address: 1-1 Honmaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Nagoya Castle Main Gate <Drama Hall Ticket Sales Booth>
Business Hours: 9:30–15:00 (Staff may not always be present)
Closed: Generally open every day, subject to organizer’s convenience.
Nearest Station: Approximately a 10-minute walk from “Nagoya-jo” Station (Meijo Line) or a 12-minute walk from “Asama-cho” Station (Tsurumai Line).

6⃣ Arako Kannon-ji Temple

Address: 138 Miyamado, Arako-cho, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Stamp stand near the front of the main hall
Business Hours: 7:00–17:00
Closed: Generally open every day
Nearest Station: Approximately a 7-minute walk from “Takahata” Station (Higashiyama Line) or a 9-minute walk from “Arako” Station (Aonami Line).

Gourmet & Souvenir Spots: Savor Nagoya’s Proud Local Specialties

To integrate the city’s flavors into your pilgrimage, you may visit the participating vendors listed in the List of Gourmet & Souvenir Spots.

Unlike the commander spots, these stamps must be applied by store staff. To receive a stamp, you must purchase a product at the store and present your booklet at the register during payment. Stamps cannot be added retroactively if the booklet was not presented at the time of purchase.

Key Participation Rules:

You can collect a maximum of three stamps from the thirty available gourmet/souvenir spots.
Each person is limited to one booklet and one stamp per store.
Group Participation: At dining spots, stamps will be applied to one booklet per person for one or more orders per visitor. At souvenir spots, stamps are applied to one booklet per individual payment.
Staff will not stamp a booklet for a person who did not make a purchase, even if the payment was made by a companion.

Rewards for Your Conquest

The rally offers a tiered reward system based on the number and type of stamps you collect.

【Commander Award】
This reward grants free admission to the “Toyotomi Brothers! Nagoya Nakamura Taiga Drama Hall” located within the Toyotomi Museum.

2+ Commander Stamps: 1 free visit.
3+ Commander Stamps: Up to 2 free visits.
4+ Commander Stamps: Up to 3 free visits.

To redeem this, present your booklet to the staff at the Drama Hall entrance. Please note that this award is based solely on commander stamps; gourmet stamps do not count toward this specific reward. The maximum number of free admissions is three, regardless of whether you collect more than four stamps.

【Specialty Award】
Upon collecting just one stamp from any gourmet or souvenir spot, you can receive a Tourism Envoy Piyorin coaster. This prize is collected at the Toyotomi Museum vestibule and is limited to one per person.

【Lottery SNS Award】
For those who wish to share their journey digitally, a lottery is available via the Nagoya Heroes Sacred Site Pilgrimage Official X Account.

How to enter:

Follow the official account (@nagoya_eiketsu).
Post a photo taken at any commander or gourmet spot.
Include these three hashtags: #なごや英傑聖地巡礼スタンプラリー, #豊臣兄弟名古屋中村大河ドラマ館, and the name of the spot (e.g., #豊臣ミュージアム).

Ten lucky winners will receive a luxury goods set containing a Toyotomi Brothers! Tote Bag, an Asahi Shrine Original Ema, an Okehazama Battlefield Preservation Society Commander’s Seal, a 1,000 yen Osu Shopping Voucher, a Nagoya Castle Golden Shachihoko Figurine, and an Arako Kannon-ji Temple Maeda Toshiie Goshuin. Winners will be contacted via DM starting Tuesday, January 12, 2027.

【Conquest Award】
The ultimate achievement for participants: collect all nine stamps (all 6 commander spots and 3 gourmet spots) to receive a Commander’s Seal Book, ideal for Goshuin and stamp collecting. This is available at the Toyotomi Museum vestibule.

Important Logistics and Prize Distribution

Redemption Point: Toyotomi Museum

Address: 23-1 Kinoshitayashiki, Nakamura-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City (Inside Nakamura Park)
Redemption Hours: 9:00–16:30
Closed: Generally open every day (subject to organizer’s convenience).
Nearest Station: Approx. 10-minute walk from “Nakamura Koen” Station (Higashiyama Line).

General Guidelines:

Prizes for the Conquest and Specialty Awards must be claimed at the Toyotomi Museum vestibule by presenting your booklet.
Only one prize per person will be awarded, regardless of the number of booklets held. In group settings, prizes are limited to the lesser of the number of booklets or the number of participants.
Prizes are available on a first-come, first-served basis; alternative items will be provided if the primary prizes run out.

🛏️ View hotels near the event

Quick Reference Summary:

Dates: October 10, 2026 – January 11, 2027.
Location: Various sites across Nagoya City.
Price: Free participation (excluding personal expenses).
Contact: Nagoya Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tourism Department, Domestic Tourism Group (TEL: 052-202-1143).
Organizer: Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Nagoya Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Co-organizers: Nagoya City and the Nagoya City Taiga Drama “Toyotomi Brothers!” Promotion Council.

Precautions:
The organizers are not responsible for accidents, injuries, or property damage occurring during the rally. The event may be altered or cancelled without notice due to weather or unavoidable circumstances, in which case no compensation for travel or purchase costs will be provided. Please respect private property and strictly adhere to the business hours of each location. For the latest updates, refer to the official website or X account.

Who are the “Nagoya Heroes”?

The “Nagoya Heroes” are the three samurai leaders credited with ending the Sengoku period and unifying Japan in the late 16th and early 17th centuries: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Each was born in or near what is now Aichi Prefecture, and their careers form the basis of the Nagoya Heroes Pilgrimage Stamp Rally.

Oda Nobunaga was born in 1534 on the site now occupied by Nagoya Castle. A local warlord who expanded his territory through military innovation and strategic alliances, he made the first sustained attempt at national unification. His use of firearms at the Battle of Nagashino in 1575 is often cited as a turning point in Japanese warfare. His aggressive campaigns earned him the nickname “Demon King.” He was killed in 1582 during the Honnō-ji incident in Kyoto, before unification was complete.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born in 1537 in what is now Nakamura Ward, Nagoya. He began as a foot soldier in Nobunaga’s army and rose through the ranks to become one of his principal generals. After Nobunaga’s death, Hideyoshi defeated his rivals and took control of the country, completing the unification process. His land surveys, tax reforms, and social policies provided the administrative foundation that the Tokugawa shogunate later maintained.
Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in 1543 at Okazaki Castle, southeast of Nagoya. He survived the unification campaigns as both an ally and a rival of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, then established the last and longest-lasting shogunate after his victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. His son Tokugawa Yoshinao was installed at Nagoya Castle, making the city the political and cultural seat of the Tokugawa family in central Japan.

Known collectively as the “Three Great Unifiers,” these men are commemorated throughout Nagoya’s castles, temples, museums, and battlefields. The stamp rally connects the places where they were born, fought, and governed, offering a route through the region’s samurai history without dressing it up in more drama than it needs.

October 24, 2026

2026 Harmonious Brothers Festival in Yesan: Experience Traditional Culture and Family Bonding in Chungcheongnam-do

Harmonious Brothers Festival

🗓️ 2026.11.07 ~ 2026.11.08

The Harmonious Brothers Festival is a family-participation cultural festival held in Daeheung-myeon, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. It modernly reinterprets the values of brotherly love, sharing, and consideration based on the folk tale of the “Harmony Brothers” passed down in Daeheung-myeon. Through fairy-tale storytelling, traditional games, family-participation events, cultural performances, and markets for local food and agricultural specialties, the festival is structured so that visitors of all ages can experience the region’s history and culture while understanding the values of community.

Near the festival venue are Yesan-gun’s representative tourism facilities, including the Yedang Lake Suspension Bridge and the Yedang Lake Monorail. The event is a representative cultural tourism festival of Yesan-gun, allowing visitors to experience local culture and tourism in one place.

Program Highlights

Pre-event: Brotherly Love Singing Contest, Celebration Performances
Official Event: Opening Ceremony, LED Tron Dance, Saxophone Performance
Performances: Theme Performance, Bubble Magic, Finger Guitar Performance (appeared on KBS Immortal Songs)
Themes: Family-type experiences/practicing filial piety, Traditional game experiences, Storytelling-linked experiences
Regular: Daeheung Tavern, Family Rest Area, Food Zone/Experience Booths

The pre-event opens with a Brotherly Love Singing Contest and celebration performances. The official event follows with an opening ceremony, an LED Tron dance, and a saxophone performance. Additional performances include a theme performance, bubble magic, and a finger guitar act that has appeared on KBS Immortal Songs. The thematic programs focus on family activities and filial piety, traditional games, and experiences linked to the Harmony Brothers story. Throughout the festival, the Daeheung Tavern, Family Rest Area, and Food Zone/Experience Booths operate as regular features.

Practical Information

📍 Address: 3, Uijoeunhyeongjegil, Daeheung-myeon, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 041-331-0619

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbfesta_official

The story of Yesan’s Harmonious Brothers is a local tale from Chungcheongnam-do. It has been passed down for generations, but it is not a myth in the usual sense. There are no supernatural events in it. Its point is that two brothers treated each other with consideration, and that this ordinary behaviour had lasting effects on the people around them.

The story is set in a small farming village in what is now Yesan. Two brothers had worked their father’s land together. When their father died, each received a share of the land, and each used it to support his own family. They no longer lived in the same house, but they continued to work the adjacent fields and to pay attention to each other’s circumstances.

Every autumn, after the harvest, the elder brother thought about his younger brother. The younger brother had more children to feed, and his household was under greater pressure. The elder brother worried that the younger man’s share of the harvest would not be enough. So, at night, he carried a bundle of rice from his own storehouse to his brother’s, left it by the door, and returned home. He did this every year, and he never told anyone. He did not want his brother to feel that he had to repay him or even acknowledge the gift.

What the elder brother did not know is that the younger brother was doing the same thing. The younger brother thought about the elder’s age and the increasing difficulty of farm work. He, too, waited until night, took rice from his own harvest, and left it at his elder brother’s door.

This went on for years. Each brother gave what he could, and each brother found that his own supply of grain never seemed to run out. They did not understand why. They assumed that some kind of protection was at work in their home.

One clear autumn night, under a bright moon, the two brothers met on the narrow path between their houses. Each was carrying a bundle of rice. They understood immediately what the other had been doing. Their surprise was followed by laughter, and then by tears. They realised that they had both been giving in secret, out of the same concern and the same desire to spare the other any sense of debt.

From then on, the brothers shared not only their harvests but their households as well. Their families lived together, and the neighbours took notice. People in the village began to call them “the Harmonious Brothers.” The story spread through the region, and the village gained a reputation for the same kind of cooperation.

The story is now the basis of the Yesan Harmonious Brothers Festival. The festival does not treat the tale as a distant legend. It uses the story as a starting point for activities that bring families and neighbours together: shared meals, folk games, and performances staged by local residents. The aim is not to deliver a grand lesson about love or loyalty. The aim is to remind people that harmonious relations are built from small acts of kindness, done without expectation of recognition.

October 24, 2026

2026 Takao Rock Festival Guide: Experience Three Unique Musical Adventures in Kaohsiung this October

2026 Takao Rock Festival

After a long wait of 727 days—nearly two years—the little monsters never stopped exploring. They wandered the edges of the universe, traversed different galaxies along sonic channels, and collected sounds and stories from all over the place amidst countless melodies. Carrying a young and fearless curiosity, an adventurous spirit unbound by frameworks, and a free and unrestrained soul, they are ready to bring back and share more diverse music and richer perspectives with the harbor.

This autumn, the little monsters have once again activated the portal and returned to the familiar harbor, challenging three musical adventures from different dimensions with a brand new series of events! This time, Takao Rock is not one event but a series: three distinct events spread across four weeks, each with its own format and personality.

Spanning four weeks from 10/10 to 10/31 and featuring three major themes, this is an unprecedented Takao Rock.

━━━Takao Rock Event Series━━━

▶︎Hi-ing 5

Event Dates: 10/10－10/11
Welcoming the 5th anniversary with Haiyin Hall, connecting 4 major stages + 1 market, composing the encounters and emotions of the harbor with sounds from different generations and styles. It is the opening event of the series and the only two-day installment, offering the widest spread of stages and sounds.

▶︎KMC Select

Event Date: 10/17
From song selection to the live experience, carefully picking every moment to leave the most beautiful impressions. In contrast to the opening weekend’s multi-stage scale, this is a single, focused night where curation is the point.

▶︎V Future Party

Event Date: 10/31
Taiwan’s first-ever Vtuber music festival, combining virtual idols, 5G technology, and musical performances to open an immersive future experience. It brings the festival to a close on 10/31 and points Takao Rock toward the virtual side of live music.

Between the multi-stage celebration of Hi-ing 5, the single-night focus of KMC Select, and the virtual showcase of V Future Party, the 2026 Takao Rock Festival gives audiences three very different reasons to spend time in the harbor this October.

🛏️ Hotels near the event

October 23, 2026

2026 Sanbuk AI Kimjang Culture Festival in Yeoju: Experience Traditional Kimchi Making with a Modern Twist

Sanbuk AI Kimjang Culture Festival

🗓️ 2026.11.07 ~ 2026.11.08

The Sanbuk Pumshil Festival has been a staple of Yeoju for 22 years. The 22nd edition takes place on November 7 and 8, 2026, under the sub-theme “Sanbuk AI Kimjang Culture Festival.” The event gives kimjang, Korea’s traditional kimchi-making culture, a new form that combines hands-on practice with modern technology.

Kimjang is more than a method of preparing food for winter. It was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013, and it has long served as an occasion for families and neighbors to work together, share skills, and exchange the finished kimchi. The spirit of the tradition lies in cooperation: making together, sharing together, and carrying that warmth through the cold season.

The Sanbuk AI Kimjang Culture Festival continues that spirit while making it easier for anyone to participate. The festival combines technology with the traditional practice, opening it up to people with no prior experience, and pairs fresh local agricultural produce with cutting-edge technology. The result is a festival that preserves the value of local farming while offering a glimpse of agriculture’s future.

Main Program

Kimjang Experience 1 – 10kg salted cabbage + 4kg seasoning ingredients
Kimjang Experience 2 – 20kg salted cabbage

The first option provides both the salted cabbage and the seasoning ingredients needed to make a full batch of kimchi. The second option supplies a larger volume of salted cabbage for those who want to make a bigger quantity or use their own seasoning.

Side Programs

Family Walking Contest
Laser Survival
Cheerful Athletic Meet

Children’s Experience Programs

Millstone Experience – Children get to grind grains with a traditional millstone, offering a direct connection to how food was prepared in the past.
Injeolmi Making Experience – Participants make injeolmi, a traditional Korean glutinous rice cake coated with bean powder.
Kkakdugi Making Experience – A hands-on session for making kkakdugi, the cubed-radish kimchi that pairs well with many Korean dishes.

Other Details

A dedicated photo zone for the kimjang experience will be set up so visitors can record their own moments at the festival.

Visitor Information

📍 Address: 36 Geumpum 1-ro, Sanbuk-myeon, Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free admission

📞 Inquiry: 031-883-0031

🖥️ Website: https://www.산북김장.com/

What is kimjang?

Kimjang is Korea’s traditional communal practice of making and sharing kimchi, typically in late autumn. Families and neighbors gather to prepare large batches of fermented vegetables—most often napa cabbage and Korean radish—that will be stored for the winter. The work is organized around cooperation: households share ingredients and labor, and the finished kimchi is often divided among participants. Recipes and techniques are passed down through generations as part of the process. UNESCO recognized kimjang as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013, citing its role in community life and in the transmission of culinary knowledge.

At the Sanbuk AI Kimjang Culture Festival, this tradition is presented alongside artificial intelligence and other modern tools. Visitors can observe kimchi-making as it has been practiced and also see how new technology might be applied to preparation, storage, or sharing—without altering the core human effort involved.

October 23, 2026

2026 TTXC Taiwan Culture and Technology Conference in Kaohsiung: Experience the Future of AI, XR, and Immersive Art

2026 TTXC Taiwan Culture and Technology Conference

The 2026 TTXC continues its exploration of performance paths that intentionally blend traditional culture with modern technology. By utilizing a diverse array of mediums, the event seeks to break the boundaries between the virtual and the real—a goal achieved through immersive performances, the integration of Vtuber virtual idols, and specialized XR work exhibitions. Attendees can engage with AI co-creation experiential exhibitions and linked performances from international tech-art festivals, all of which serve to shorten the distance between the audience and high-tech cultural performances via rich, five-sense experiences.

As an island nation characterized by diverse cultural heritage, significant technological advantages, and a capacity for infinite creativity, Taiwan occupies an irreplaceable position in the intersection of culture and technology. This synergy acts as a primary driving force for the continuous development of the nation’s cultural content. Consequently, the ongoing goal of the Taiwan Cultural Technology Conference has been to determine how technology can be leveraged to increase global awareness of Taiwan’s unique art, creation, and cultural identity.

Event Details

Date: 10.9 – 10.26
Location: The conference is distributed across multiple prominent venues in Kaohsiung, including:

Pier-2 Art Center
VR Somatosensory Theater
Kaohsiung Film Museum
Neiwei Arts Center
Kaohsiung Public Library Main Library
LIVE WAREHOUSE

🛏️ Hotels near the event

What is XR?

XR, or Extended Reality, covers technologies that combine physical and digital environments. The term includes Virtual Reality (VR), in which a headset replaces your view of the room with a simulated scene; Augmented Reality (AR), which adds digital images or text to the world around you; and Mixed Reality (MR), a subset in which virtual objects remain anchored to physical space and react to it.

At TTXC, XR installations make use of this range. You can enter a 3D painting generated by an AI model, handle a holographic object with tracked controllers, or move through a simulation that changes as you walk around it. These uses rely on existing display, tracking, and rendering hardware. For artists and engineers, XR is another set of constraints to design within. The practical challenge is to make interaction stable enough that the effect holds when the user moves, turns, or reaches for an object.

October 23, 2026

2026 Iksan Treasure Hunt Festival: How to Find the Gold Bar and Enjoy Somni Village’s AR Adventures

Treasure Hunt Festival – Find the Gold Bar!

🗓️ 2026.11.07 ~ 2026.11.08

The 4th Treasure Hunt Festival, “Find the Gold Bar!”, runs for two days on November 7–8, 2026, around Somni Village in Inhwa-dong, Iksan-si, Jeonbuk. Somni Village, a modern history and culture village, is turned into an augmented reality (AR) treasure hunt stage. Using a smartphone map, visitors search for clues hidden throughout the alleys, collect gold bar cards, and then take part in a prize draw. The rest of the festival is built around participatory programs such as the Somni Boutique, a chance to experience 1920s modern clothing; the Somni Stamp Tour, which explores the village’s hub spaces; and the Lucky King event. There will also be sights and activities for all ages, including street performances, marching parades, the Irio Shop flea market, jewelry craft and art experiences, a small painting art fair, a children’s playground, and survival experiences. A win-win food market, run with the merchants’ associations of the nearby Old Market and Nambu Market, will be on site as well.

Main Programs

AR Treasure Hunt – Operated 4 times; participation fee 5,000 won.
Somni Boutique – 1920s modern clothing experience.
Somni Stamp Tour – Explore the village’s hub spaces.
Lucky King event

Side Programs

Street performances
Marching parade
Irio Shop flea market
Somni Culture Vault “In Search of the Puzzle King”
Small painting art fair (exhibition)

Consumer Participation Programs

AR Treasure Hunt
Ball pit treasure hunt
Survival experience
Jewelry craft and art experience
Modern clothing SNS certification mission

Other Details

Win-win food market (Old Market and Nambu Market Merchants’ Association)
Children’s playground

Usage Fees

AR Treasure Hunt: 5,000 won
Jewelry craft experience: Some are paid
Art experience: Twinkling jewel face painting 3,000 won, etc. Some programs are paid

📍 Address: 28 Inbuk-ro 12-gil, Iksan-si, Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province (Jhyeon-dong)

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free (Some experience programs are paid)

📞 Inquiry: 070-4909-1196

⭐️ Instagram: Instagram

🖥️ Homepage: Treasure Hunt Festival – Find the Gold Bar!

What is Somni Village?

Somni Village is the augmented-reality story world built for the 2026 Iksan Treasure Hunt Festival. It is not a physical place; it is a location-based digital layer that runs through the festival site. The AR content is anchored to real landmarks in Iksan: Baekje-era grounds, palace ruins, museum courtyards, and riverside paths. When you open the festival’s AR app at these locations, the village appears on your screen as an additional layer on top of the surroundings. Market stalls, period-dressed characters, and text or symbols are placed in relation to the physical space around you.

The name comes from the Latin word for “dream,” and the design follows that idea. The AR scenes are not meant to replace the actual sites. Instead, they give each location a second context within the story. A bench in the park can function as the village well; a museum wall can carry a mural that exists only in the AR layer. The effect is less about illusion than about navigation: what you see in the app corresponds directly to where you are and where you need to go.

Somni Village is also the operational structure for the treasure hunt. The clues, characters, and interactive objects are placed throughout the AR world, each one tied to a real site in Iksan. Participants move between the physical streets and the app’s map of the village, using information from both to make progress. The gold bar is located at a point where the real environment and the virtual overlay align, so finding it requires working through the full set of locations and solving the clues attached to them.

October 23, 2026

2026 Kaohsiung Film Festival Guide: Explore “Drama World” and Discover 13 Must-Watch Films

2026 Kaohsiung Film Festival

This year, the Kaohsiung Film Festival has selected “Drama World” (抓馬人間) as its annual theme. Running from October 9 to October 26, the festival’s 13 selected works promise a program that is more Drama than you imagine.

A Theme Rooted in Everyday Language

“Drama” (抓馬) is the phonetic transliteration of the English word “Drama,” used to describe people, things, or events filled with theatricality, exaggerated plots, and a strong sense of conflict. Whether someone is being called a “Drama Queen” or a situation is described as “very drama,” the word carries a vivid, raw energy—as if sparks are flying.

The “Drama World” theme turns this everyday slang into a lens for cinema. It asks what happens when real life starts to feel scripted. The selected films lean into that idea, capturing moments where conflicts escalate, personalities collide, and ordinary situations spiral into something that feels almost choreographed.

A Selection of 13 Dramatic Works

The 2026 lineup features 13 selected works covering all kinds of dramatic emotions in the world. Some approach drama through sharp humor, others through intense emotional confrontation, and still others through the quiet, slow-burn tensions of everyday relationships. What binds them is a fascination with the theatrical side of human nature.

For festival audiences, the payoff is a program that is both entertaining and revealing. The films offer the comfort of watching dramatic chaos unfold from a cinema seat while holding a mirror to the smaller-scale drama playing out in our own lives.

Screening Details

Film Festival Screenings | 10.09 (Fri) – 10.26 (Mon)

The festival opens on Friday, October 9, and closes on Monday, October 26, giving audiences over two weeks to explore the full program.

🛏️ Hotels near the event

What is “Drama World”?

“Drama World” is a section of the 2026 Kaohsiung Film Festival’s main program. It brings together films that treat performance as a subject, both in the theater and in everyday life. The title refers to the theatrical roots of storytelling, but it also points to the roles people play outside the stage.

The selected films share an interest in identity and self-presentation. Their characters try on new personas, confront the expectations of family or community, or find themselves trapped in situations they did not write for themselves. Some stories are set backstage; others take place in courtrooms, apartments, or offices. What connects them is a concern with public display and private motive.

Kaohsiung is a useful context for this program. It is a port city with a long history of transit and exchange, and its streets and waterfront have always hosted chance encounters. The festival has often asked how cinema relates to place. This section extends that question to performance: how people present themselves, and what happens when their performances begin to break down.

“Drama World” does not claim that all cinema is drama. It simply presents a set of films that take performance seriously, as a social practice and as a source of narrative tension. The program rewards close attention to behavior, gesture, and the gap between what characters say and what they do. It is for viewers interested in the work actors do, and in the quieter performances that everyday life requires.

October 23, 2026

2026 Seoul Whole Family Book Festival at Jeongdok Library: Discover the Joy of Reading with Free Family Activities and Events

A Family Book Feast

The Whole Family Book Festival is the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s representative reading culture festival. Held every autumn since 2013 at Jeongdok Library, it provides a venue where families and neighbors can mingle and communicate through books. Through various experiences, performances, and exhibitions, the festival lets people encounter the joy and value of reading in their daily lives. It has also grown into a collaborative festival: citizens and students directly participate in the programming, while libraries, lifelong learning centers, local bookstores, and school reading clubs join forces. The diverse lineup includes Reading Family Awards ceremonies, cultural performances, creative activities linked to books, and eco-friendly and traditional culture experiences. With something for people of all ages and genders, the festival makes the case that reading is more than an activity—it is a source of joy in life and community value.

🗓️ 2026.11.07 ~ 2026.11.07

Festival Programs

The festival program is organized into seven sections:

1. Plaza of Honor

Library Concert
Reading Family Awards

2. Book Sharing Market

3. Unusual Library

(Namsan, Dobong, Dongdaemun) Making a Lucky GeoBook, My Promise for the Earth
(Songpa, Gangnam, Gangdong, Gaepo) Today Here, Library Total Gathering!
(Yangcheon, Gangseo, Gayang-gwan, Gocheok) Meeting a Book is Lucky!
(Children’s, Seodaemun, Jongno) Weaving Bookmarks that Connect Hearts
(Yongsan, Guro, Dongjak) Clatter-Clatter Stamp Workshop
(Mapo, Godeok, Nowon, Yeongdeungpo, Ahyeon Branch) Colorful Star Workshop
(Jeongdok) Come visit the Youth Center!
(Jeongdok) Jeongdok’s 50 Years Drawn Together by the Whole Family

4. Imagination Factory

(Baehwa Girls’ High School) Draw it! One Sentence from a Book
(Gwanak High School) Battle in the Book! My Own Keycap Keyring
(Seoul Bookstore Association) Book Festival & Rice Cake Festival with Seoul Booksellers
(Digital Library) Visiting E-book Experience Booth
This-and-That Hangeul Research Institute
Mother-of-Pearl Keyring Workshop Containing Light

5. Story Discovery Center

6. Topsy-Turvy Playground

7. Rolling Book Forest

Event Details

📍 Address: 48 Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Hwadong)

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 02-2011-5742

🖥️ Homepage: https://jdlib.sen.go.kr/jdlib/board/index.do?menu%5Fidx=242&manage%5Fidx=2478

What is Jeongdok Library?

Jeongdok Library is a public library in Jongno-gu, Seoul, with a particular emphasis on children and family reading. It is located in Samcheong-dong, near the city’s cultural district, and has served the area for several decades. The library includes a children’s reading room, storytime space, family event facilities, and outdoor areas for reading. Its collection covers children’s literature, picture books, and educational materials, with sections organized for different ages.

In addition to lending, the library runs storytime programs, reading events, and workshops for families and school groups. Adults can use the general reading rooms, and the building also serves as a neighborhood gathering place. The festival in 2026 will be hosted at the library, using both its indoor event spaces and the surrounding grounds.

October 23, 2026

Kaohsiung Old Zhennan Han-bing Cultural Center: Master Traditional Pastry Making in the 2026 Hands-on Course Experience

[Chinese Pastry Culture Museum] Hands-on Course Experience: October-December 2026

From October through December 2026, the Old Zhennan Han-bing Cultural Center in Kaohsiung’s Daliao District is running a limited-time hands-on course experience. It combines a Han-bing pastry-making class with a visit to the brand exhibition and one set of Han-bing afternoon tea. The schedules below are valid for this period, but final course dates are subject to the center’s actual calendar.

Two Experience Itineraries

Cultural Light Journey

Contents: Simple handmade course (starting from semi-finished products) + Free visit to the brand exhibition + One set of Han-bing afternoon tea
Total duration: Approximately 1.5 hours

Cultural Slow Journey

Contents: In-depth handmade course (starting from flour) + Free visit to the brand exhibition + One set of Han-bing afternoon tea
Total duration: Approximately 2 hours

The Light Journey is the quicker option; it works with semi-finished products. The Slow Journey is the fuller experience, starting from flour and taking participants through more of the pastry-making process.

Course Schedule, October–December 2026

Time Slot	Course	Itinerary	Portion	Price
10:00–12:00	Eight-Tael Han-bing	Cultural Slow Journey	1 portion	1,200 TWD
13:30–15:00	Christmas Cedar	Cultural Light Journey	4 pieces	800 TWD
15:30–17:00	Winter Chrysanthemum	Cultural Light Journey	4 pieces	800 TWD

Practical Information

Participants must be at least 6 years old; registration is not accepted for children under 6.
Only registered participants may enter the baking classroom, to maintain high teaching quality.

Location

The experience takes place at the Old Zhennan Han-bing Cultural Center, No. 298, Jiexi Rd., Daliao District, Kaohsiung City. The venue is about a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Daliao MRT Station.

For accommodation near the venue:
🛏️ Hotels near the event

What is han-bing?

Han-bing (漢餅) is a traditional Taiwanese pastry with origins in Chinese baking. It has been made in Taiwan for generations, appearing on tables for everyday meals and formal occasions alike. Unlike Western cakes, han-bing relies on a short list of ingredients: wheat flour, lard or butter, sugar, and natural fillings. The technique, however, is not simple. Achieving the characteristic layered, flaky crust requires careful control of dough consistency, temperature, and rolling.

Common fillings include mung bean paste, red bean paste, taro, black sesame, candied winter melon, and salted egg yolk. Savory versions may add pork floss or ham. The pastries are usually round, a shape associated with completeness and reunion. This makes them a familiar presence at weddings, festivals, ancestor worship, and family gatherings, where offering han-bing is a conventional way to express good wishes.

At the Kaohsiung Old Zhennan Han-bing Cultural Center, visitors can learn these techniques firsthand. The 2026 hands-on course teaches participants to shape, layer, and bake their own pastries, using methods that have been preserved and transmitted over more than a century. By the end, each participant has followed the same process used by professional bakers and has a finished pastry to show for it.