Yuki Festival
In the most northern Island in Japan Hokkaido they have a festival going on called a Snow festival..
They have many things going on as of currently for this festival. I must tell my unknowing readers that Hokkaido is the closest place near Russia in Japan! So it is the coldest place in Japan and they get a bit of snow and Ice..
This festival all started in 1950 by high school students who in Odori park made a few snow statues!! It grew slowly and suddenly the whole of the city of Sapporo was celebrating the Snow festival! I will tell you a few of the things that go on at this festival..
1-You can see large snow sculptures they are all lit up for the viewers enjoy meant!
2-I can't leave out Concerts! I am assuming some famous groups play there no actually I am almost positive they do!
3-They have games (like any festival) and food! plus amazing Ice slides..I don't know about you but that sounds like amazing fun!!
(There are 3 spots to go enjoy the Snow festival)
1-Odori Park
2-Suskino
3-Tsu Dome
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| Odori Park |
Omisoka!
Okay now lets talk about something that is celebrated all over Japan! Japanese New year!! WOO!!
This of course already happened back in January well January 1st to be exact!! One of the amazing things about it is Osechi Ryouri or Japanese new year cooking! a lot of food to enjoy from sweet jams to fried foods and one of the oddest is a goldfish on a stick..no I don't know if it really is one of my many friends told me about it..eating goldfish..no longer pets but food..but were they pets to begin with? nah..
Okay moving on talk about the shrine..Shinto shrines! they are very very busy this time of year..Usually or I should say traditionally the people of Japan go to 3 different shrines on new years and many stay up until night to do this. Why do they do this? Why to see the first sunrise of the new year of course! What an amazing site. New years in America or in the western world isn't so amazing! They go to these shrines to pray for health of friends, family, and them selves oh and prosperity! Hah can't forget that now can I? You want to see people in Kimono's? this is the time of year to do it! Most amazing sight I can guarantee you!! Unfortantly slowly the traditions of this celebration is slowly changing because of the western world. They never used fireworks before..but now because we westerners like to make a BIG BANG out of little things they have started to..
Oh one more thing on Japanese new years they go to a Buddhist temple and you will hear the gonging of bells 108 times for driving off the 108 sins of the human spirit or condition..
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| Shrine Japanese New Years |
Hanami Matsuri
I really wanted to skip ahead and talk about my most favorite festival of them all! The Cherry Blossom festival!! It is in dedication to the coming of spring!!I think this is the most commonly known festival for those who watch Anime or read Manga. But I didn't learn it from such a place oh no, I learned about it from an old friend of mine from Japan. He talked about it as if it was a long lost love during the winter times and when it comes closer he talked about as if his love was returning from a long journey! Now the most I know about this from what I could pick up from him. It is a big get together with close friends and family to view these blossoms, it starts from the end of march to early May this of course is on main land Japan in Okinawa the "Hawaiian Island" of Japan (I call it that because it is the tropical part of Japan) this festival is at the 1st of February (Yeah it has already passed! lucky them!!) Really either they look at Cheery Blossoms or Ume blossoms or Plum blossoms. It first started out as Ume blossoms back in the Nara period which was around the years 710-794 (I'll get into Japan's history later) I recommend this festival to everyone they do actually have this festival in the western part of the world. To find out where one closest to you is check your local Japanese Ministry!
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| Hanami Matsuri at Castle Himeji |
Tanabata Matsuri!
The meaning of this one is the Evening star festival! it is celebrated on July 7th its a bit aways away but I'm putting up my favorites here!!
The Tanabata Matsuri is a celebration of the meeting of deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (Orihime is the girl Hikoboshi is the male by the way) Now as I have been told there is a legend to this. THIS is why they celebrate it so I presume. The milky way separate these two lovers from each other they are of course only allowed to meet once a year..Sad really but can you guess when they are allowed to meet? On the 7th of July of course!! So here comes the celebration of the meeting of these two lovers!! But of course there is a catch in Japan..here is the catch Tanabata varies from place to place in Japan so one prefecture or state might be celebrating it while another isn't. There is a history to this I can't really get into it because it will take a bit of time. So if you are interested just let me know and I'll be happy to share what I have learned!
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| Tanabata in Tokyo (They are wearing Yukata's not Kimono's ) |
So to end this..
These are a few festivals/celebrations I love and know about I of course know a lot more then this. If you wish to know more about any festival or even history of these festivals/celebrations I have mentioned please ask!! I am always happy to share my knowledge with anyone!! To even tell you more about these special days it would take all day and most of the night. So if you want to know any more celebrations or festivals ask me!!
I hope you enjoy this!!
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