Kariya is located in the heart of Aichi Prefecture with Nagoya City to the west and Mikawa Bay extending to the east. The city is famous for its various automobile-related factories that are a solid base for Kariya City as an industrial city. Toyota Industries Corporation (former Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd.), DENSO Corporation, AISIN SEIKI Co.Ltd, Aichi Steel Corporation, and JTEKT Corporation are companies of Toyota Motor Corporation Group. Kariya City has a rich natural environment including a field of Japanese Irises, a nationally designated natural monument, and Suhara Park with its beautiful water and greenery. Kariya City is a town of gentle harmony between nature and industry.
| Blessed by the nature that has been protected since ancient times, the four seasons of Kariya are full of many traditional events. In the spring, cherry trees bloom in Kijyo Park where Kariya Castle was built by Mizuno in 1533 and had been maintained by Kariya’s feudal lords for 340 years. Another recommended cherry-viewing location is Suhara Park which is a public park with an extensive landscape including Suhara Pond and its surrounding area. This area has the Northern Life Long Learning Center and other sports and leisure facilities, including a warm water swimming pool, tennis courts, and lodges. Other traditional events include Yakko Parade, Daimyo Pageant and Kariya Float Festival in the spring. People dressed in traditional costumes parade shouting unique rallying cries and performing classical dances. Daimyo Pageant was originally performed as a festivity of the Ichibara Inari Shrine and now is performed during the Golden Week holidays in May every two years. Fully decorated floats show their elegant form at the Daimyo Pageant. In the summer, Mando Festival is a very famous traditional event in Kariya. This festival is held in dedication to Akiba Shrine, which is where the event has been held for more than 230 years. This festival is a most impressive festival in which young men dance to the sounds of flutes and drums while shouldering “Mando” caricatures of Samurai. | 
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