Major Events in Japan
December 27, 2007
teachers and relatives at New Year's. After postcards
were issued early in the Meiji period, people began
sending a greeting on a card, and the Nengajo of today
became established.
Nengajo are handled differently from ordinary mail.
All the cards put into special boxes at the post office
between 18 and 28 are delivered together on New Year's Day.
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December 13, 2007
It's Bonenkai season now.
Bonenkai is a typical kind of party held at the
end of the year. A few people get together,
boisterously eating and drinking a lot, in order to
look back on the year's events, forget the unpleasant
things and look ahead to the new year with a fresh spirit.
There are departmental bonenkai and other for those
who entered the company together, that's for work bonenkai.
Then privately, they are held among close friends, by local
hobby groups, so you go to one every two or three days.
Students and housewives also have bonenkai with their friends.
So in December, bonenkai are being held all over Japan.
They are usually held at Japanese restaurants or
Western-style restaurants or bars.
For such places the bonenkai season is the busiest time
of the year. After the bonenkai, people often go to Karaoke
bars for 'Nijikai'. Nijikai means second party.
Enjoy your 'bonenkai' and don't drink too much!
And please remember, if you drink, don't drive!!
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November 07, 2007
November 15th, people visit shrines for Shichigosan.
Shichigosan is a traditional abservance of children's growth.
Boys of three and five years of age and girls of three and seven
are dressed up and taken to a shrine.
There they pray that the god will protect the children as
they grow.
From ancient times, odd numbers have been considered
lucky in Japan. That is why children are feted at ages three,
five, and seven.
You will see little girls in kimono and little boys dressed up,
holding paper bags with pictures of a crane and a tortoise.
There are long sticks of candy inside of the bag called
'Chitose-ame'. Chitose means a thousand years, ame means
candy. It bears the wish that the children will grow up
healthy and live a long life.
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October 24, 2007
Tori-no-ichi is a festival held at shrines around the
country on Days of the Rooster in November.
Tori-no-ichi for this year is the 11th of November
and the 23rd of November.
Originally a festival of Otori Shrines dedicated to the
god of good fortune and commercial prosperity,
it is now held at other shrines as well. The gradest
Tori-no-ichi is that of the Otori Shrine in Asakusa.
November has two or in some years three Days of the
Rooster called in order the First, Second and Third Rooster.
On these days stalls selling good luck charms fill the
shrine's precincts and the area in front of its gates, and
vendors enegetically hawk their wares.
You will find many bamboo rakes(Kumade),
a mask of a moon-faced woman (Otafuku),
gold coins (Koban), treasure chest (Senryo-bako)
and such, all charms that bring good luck.
This year we have only two Tori-no-ichi.
The saying goes that you have to watch out in
years with three Tori-no-ichi, because there're
lots of fires. Next year we 'll have three.
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September 27, 2007
Baseball was brought to Japan early in the beginning of
the Meiji period by an American. In 1936 the Professional
Baseball League was formed, establishing organized
professional baseball.
After the Second World War professional baseball began in
earnest. In 1950 the two-league system, with
Central and Pacific Leagues, was proclaimed.
(*6-team of each league)
A pennant race is run from April to October,
the winning teams from each league battling to be
Japan's best in the Japan Series.
In the July All-Star Game the most popular players of
each league are matched against each other.
Japanese enthusiasm for pro baseball is not like in America as it's
used to be. Night games is not popular like before.
In the past, Yomiuri Giants (based in Tokyo) games had been
a boon to the TV station, but because of their poor performance,
people stopped watching games on TV and the station decided
not to continue broadcasting the Yomiuri Giants night games in 2005.
Some popular Japanese players such as
Hideki Matsui (Yankees) and Ichiro Suzuki (Mariners) are
now playing in the U.S. and they are doing very well.
The newspaper sports sections have detailed analysis of
both Japanese and major league games, and the scores are
always reported on the news.
When the local team wins a championship,
the shopping districts and department sotres
hold bargain sales.
So how are they doing this year??
Yomiuri Giants is leading as of today! (Sept. 27, 2007)
If you are interested to see the game 'LIVE',
Tokyo Dome is the place for the games in Tokyo.
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August 15, 2007
Bon-Odori (Bon Dance)
The local people gather in an open spot and dance in a circle
around a tower with a large drum on it.
That's also to comfort the souls of their ancestors.
Many people who don't follow any other Obon customs
still join in the Bon Dance.
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August 13, 2007
Obon, with New Year's, is a representative traditional
annual event. In the old, lunar calendar it was celebrated
from the 13th to the 15th of the seventh month, but now
it is commonly celebrated from August 13 to 15.
It's held for the repose of the souls of our ancestors.
Whereas New Year's is a Shinto celebration welcoming
the gods, Obon is a Buddhist rite.
So what sort of things do people do at Obon?
First, in preparation, people clean the pathway from the
graves to their home to welcome the returning spirits
of their ancestors. The house and everthing in it are
cleaned, too. Then, on the 13th, Mukaebi (Welcoming fires)
are lit in front of the house and at crossroads to mark the
way for the spirits. A Obon altar is also set up to welcome
them with various offerings of vegetables, fruit and rice.
Priests may be called to recite sutras. Then the visiting souls
have to be sent off again. Fires are lit again, and this tiime
they are called Okuribi (send-off fires).
There are many largescale fire festivals which developed
out of the custom of lighting fires at Obon.
Most Japanese companies are closed from several days before
until several days after Obon as a summer vacation.
Families living in the cities commonly return to their home towns
to participate in Obon festivities. So at this time, just as at
New Year's, transportation facilities are jammed with families.
However, fewer families observe the traditions of Obon now.
More and more merely think of it as a summer vacation
when they can travel.
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July 03, 2007
The winter cherry or Chinese lantern plant grows about
70cm (27.5 in.) tall and is related to the eggplant.
It bears white flowers from June to July; thereafter the
sepals grow together into a sack 4-5 cm (1.5-1.9 in.) long
enfolding the fruit.
These turn a bright orange-red when ripe.
The fruit inside is about 2 cm (0.8 in.) in diameter.
They just look like a lot of little red lamps hanging among
the green leaves.
There's Hozuki Fair every year on July 9th and 10th at
Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. The 10th is called '46,000 Day',
and visiting the temple then is supposed to bring as much
spiritual merit as 46,000 ordinary visits.
On that day the temple grounds are packed with worshippers
and people who come to buy Hozuki.
In the old days people believed that Hozuki would dispel
children's crankiness and women's cramps. So the throngs
that came to pray at the temple on '46,000 Day' all bought
Hozuki.
Children play with them, too. Inside the lantern is a soft
fruit. You loosen the seeds by squeezing it gently, and
carefully press them out. Then inside your mouth, blow air
into the empty skin and flatten it with your tongue to make
a noise.
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June 20, 2007
A day of special significance for a particular shrine or temple.
A Matsuri (festival) or service is held on Ennichi (Fair Day).
Because they attract large crowds, stalls selling food, toys and
good-luck charms (omamori) line the approaches.
Some stalls open in the evening, and in summer, when
people walk around in their Yukata (cotton kimono for summer),
there's a very special atmosphere.
They are selling all kinds of things to eat such as Okonomiyaki
(Japanese pancakes), Takoyaki (octopus in batter), Yakisoba
(Japanese fried noodles), and candies.
Also they have shooting galleries, quoits, and other games
which both kids and adults can enjoy together.
'Kingyo Sukui' (dipping for goldfish) is one of the most
popular attractions in Ennichi. You scoop up a goldfish with
a paper ladle and put it into a container. When the paper
tears, you've had it. It's pretty hard to do but it's fun.
When you have a chance to go to Matsuri Festival this summer,
why don't you give it a try?
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April 27, 2007
Golden Week starts from tomorrow.
What is Golden Week?
The first holiday during Golden week is the 29th of April
which was the birthday of the former emperor Showa.
It was called Greenery Day until 2006, but from this year
it's called 'Showa Day'.
The second holiday is Constitution Day (Kenpo kinen-bi),
3rd of May. Then 4th of May, it's called Greenery Day
(Midori no hi) from this year as it's shifted from the 29th of April
and it is the day we show appreciation for nature.
And the last one, 5th of May is Children's Day (Kodomo no hi),
families with children celebrate their growth and development.
Many houses with male children are adorned with carp streamers
called 'Koinobori' and helmets 'Kabuto'.
1st & 2nd of May are not national holidays so many people
still work as normal, but some people have those 2 days off
and have a long holiday.
During this period, traffic is so bad, if you are in Tokyo and
planning to drive out of Tokyo, be warned, it will take
extra hours to get out Tokyo.
We give you a tip:
Make sure your car has more than a half tank of fuel,
and go to the bathroom before you get on Express Way!
Have a great Golden Week
