Most schools in Japan, from junior high schools to universities, hold an annual event called a Cultural Festival (文化祭 bunkasai) at which their students display their everyday achievements . People who want to enter the school themselves or who are interested in the school may come to see what the schoolwork and atmosphere are like. Parents may also want to see what kind of work their children have been doing.

However, many people who visit the cultural festivals come just for fun. Food is served, and often classrooms or gymnasiums are transformed into temporary restaurants or cafes. Dances, concerts and plays may be performed by individual volunteers or by various school "clubs" such as the dance club, the orchestra club, the band club and the drama club.

The Cultural Festival is intended to be a fun event, but it is also the only opportunity each year for students to see what life is like in other schools. It is also intended to enrich people's lives by increasing social interaction.