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Another photo from the Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa, Tokyo. This festival
happens every year in May and while there are always a few foreign tourists about, like
all matsuri it is an event for the locals. The Japanese love and nurture their culture.
The girls can be seen with their fetching head gear while the men are in various states of
undress! The guy in the middle is wearing a fundoshi or loincloth. |
| The remains of the rice crop being dried out for later use over the dry
winter months. Japan is a wonderful contradiction of the old and the new. In this small
town many of the older women were still attired in traditional dress. |
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How cute is this kid? The Japanese adore children and there are no less
than three major holidays dedicated to kids - Hina Matsuri (Doll festival), Kodomo-no-hi
(Children's day) and Shichi-go-san (Seven-five-three Festival). I think I took this at
Higashi Hongan-ji Temple on the day of Shichi-go-san on 15th November. Girls of three and
seven and boys of five dress in either their best or traditional clothes and pay a visit
with their parents to the local shrine or temple in order to pray for good fortune in
life. Not many boys or men wear traditional dress these days which is a great shame
because they look fantastic. The pants, which will be familiar from the old samurai
movies, are called hakama. |
| The Tanuki is another sort of mythical creature. There is a real type of
Tanuki, known in English as a Raccoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides. But in typical
Shinto style the animal has been endowed with certain characteristics and powers. They are
often seen like this outside eating places as they are supposed to possess an admirable
ability to imbibe huge amounts! He is purported to beat on his huge scrotum like a drum,
which should also attract customers! Anyway, I think this one is particularly kawaii
(cute). |
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The Chichibu-Tama National Park south of Tokyo is rightly famous for its
stunning scenery. Contrary to many preconceptions in regard to Japan, many such areas
remain especially in the mountainous centre of the main islands. |
| A graveyard in the grounds of a Buddhist temple or otera. Every year
during Obon in mid-August families visit the graves of their ancestors in order to make
offerings and pay their respects. Contrary to what you may expect this is a happy time of
year with dancing (Bon-odori) and festivities in the lovely warm weather. As you can see,
though, this photo was taken in Autumn, about November I think. |
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