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Featured Japan Stories

Film Review: Cherry Blossoms

Celeste Heiter - cheiter [28,790]

Family issues and secrets are revealed when a terminally ill man and his wife travel to Berlin to visit their children, and an unexpected tragedy shifts the venue to Japan.

Destinations: Japan
Topics: Culture | People | Performing Arts

Every year on November 15, Japan celebrates Shichi-Go-San--Children's Day. Dressed in their very finest garments, girls and boys aged three, boys aged five, and girls aged seven, go with their families to nearby shrines, where they line up, sometimes for hours, to await their turn to be blessed by the presiding priest. After the blessing, the child is presented with a gift of long sticks of candy called chitose-ame, "thousand year sweets," wrapped in ornate bags decorated with cranes and turtles, both symbols of longevity.

Kimono

Robert George - rgeorge [1,340]

A story told with photos.

Destinations: Tokyo | Japan
Topics: People | Festivals | Fashion | Traditions

Seijin Hi: Coming of Age Day in Japan

Frank Lev - flev [2,460]

Yesterday (January 14) was a national holiday in Japan. It was Coming of Age Day. On this day, all 20-year-olds celebrate the fact that they are officially a part of the adult community. It is...

Destinations: Kyoto | Japan
Topics: Culture | Festivals | Traditions

Japan Photos

Although most women dress in contemporary clothing, many women still hold to the tradition of dressing in kimono for everyday wear.

Sanja Matsuri is one of Tokyo's liveliest and most widely-attended festivals. Literally translated as three noble men, Sanja Matsuri is sponsored by Sensoji Temple, Tokyo's oldest, in honor of two fishermen who pulled a golden statue of the Kanon Buddha out of the Sumida River in 628 A.D., and the town nobleman who constructed a temple to house it. More than two million people turn out to watch the parade, which features 100 portable omikoshi shrines carried on the shoulders of strapping young marchers, along with musicians, dancers, tattooed men in loincloths and geisha dressed in dazzling kimono.

Each year, on the 15th of January, Japan celebrates Coming of Age Day. On this occasion, dressed in their most elaborate finery, young men and women who turned 20 years old during the previous year attend ceremonies to hear dignitaries offer their wisdom on the privileges and responsibilities of adult life.

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Japan Travel Tips

ANA Hotel Kyoto This international class hotel, situated in central Kyoto, is located near restaurants, shops, and markets. The hotel is ideally positioned for traveling around this unique city, and...