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Festivals |
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 The beautiful island country of Japan is a land of diverse religions and festivals (Matsuri) and it is generally said that one will always find a festival in some part of Japan. "Ennichi" is the most popular style of Japanese festival; it involves visiting a temple or a shrine on holy days. Apart from national festivals there are also numerous local festivals. There are no specific festival (matsuri) days for the entire country; dates vary in different regions, and even within a specific area. Some of the most popular festivals of Japan are: - January 1st is the official New Year's Day for Japan. It is one of the most important festivals of the whole year. The Japanese New Year is a traditional festival, which has been celebrated for centuries and has its own unique customs. - Bon is a Japanese Buddhist holiday to honor the departed spirits of one's ancestors. It has existed in Japan for more than 500 years. - In Japan, Setsubun ("division of season") is the day before the beginning of each season. Spring Setsubun is traditionally celebrated by the head of the household throwing pan-heated soybeans out the door; the beans are thought to symbolically purify the home. - In Hina Matsuri (dolls festival) is held every year with the wish to drive the evil spirits out of girls. During this popular festival dolls dedicated from all over the country are paraded to the docks and sent out to sea. - Tanabata Matsuri is the famous star festival celebrated in several cities. - November 15 in Japan is marked by the celebration of Shichi-Go-San, a festival day in Japan for three and seven year-old girls and three and five year-old boys. - The annual festival of Karatsu Kunchi is a major crowd attraction in the city of Karatsu, Saga on Japan's island of Kyushu. The festival includes parades of samurai helmets, dragons, and other fantastical creatures associated with Japanese culture. | |||||||||
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