You can now add a sprawling traditional Japanese village to your adventures in Minecraft thanks to a downloadable world now up on the Minecraft store.

Titled “Edo Bon Dance”, it spans 1000 x 1000 blocks and is currently one of the largest Japanese-themed worlds that can be added into the game. Upon entering the village’s castle grounds, players can admire architectural features such as a castle tower, otherwise known as a tenshukaku (天守閣), traditional samurai residences, and a large palace.

A residential area dotted with shops, row houses, and fire watchtowers, balanced with stretches of rice fields, forests and rivers add an air of inhabitancy to the virtual world. At its very center, players can watch a group of bon dancers looking to get festive or solemnly enjoy a fireworks spectacle at night.

The world also comes implemented with an orienteering game which allows players to take on the role of a wandering explorer and receive missions from the inhabitants.

Currently up for sale on the Minecraft store, part of the proceeds will be donated by the people involved in the project to promote the use of information & communications technology by children in Japanese elementary schools.

“Edo Bon Dance” was created by Kazokura!, a team of Youtubers who create educational and gaming videos based around Minecraft, and was produced by Japan Crafters Union, a community of professional Minecrafters who have a history of creating Japanese-themed worlds and skins. The world was exhibited by the Japanese IT media company, Impress Holdings.


By - Jen Laforteza.