Mochi-tsuki Eating mochi (pounded rice) on New Year’s Day is a tradition in Japan but in order to have mochi to eat for the new year, someone has to make it. Today, it’s easy enough to buy mochi from any supermarket or convenience store or make it in a machine. But traditionally, mochi would…
Tag: tradition
Matsuri Goldfish
Goldfish are one of the symbols of Japanese summer and one of the reasons this is probably so is because of the ubiquitous goldfish booths at local matsuri (festivals). The participant is given a cup and a small “scoop” made rice paper and is allowed to scoop as many goldfish from the trough as they…
Fortune Telling
Fortune telling is big business in Japan and one only needs to visit a Shinto shrine to find out how many people desire a purported peek at their futures. Omikuji are little paper fortunes that can be purchased for a token fee. The fortunes are general, but can be anything from lucky to a major curse….
Ebisu Bon Odori
As July comes to a close, the bon odori season is just starting in Japan. Bon odori are festivals where entire communities come together to socialize and dance in honor of the dead. In Tokyo, the neighborhood of Ebisu seems to have made the perfect transition of bon odori from the rural village to the…
Kokeshi
The humble kokeshi were said to be invented in the Tohoku region of Japan as souvenirs for travelers coming to enjoy the regional hot springs. The simple design of traditional kokeshi is a round “head” attached to a cylinder body, created from cherry or mizuki wood by an artisan using a lathe. If the faces…
Shibuya Ohara Festival
The annual Ohara Festival in Shibuya in June demonstrates how important festivals are in Japan; a section of a major street right in front of Shibuya Station is closed to vehicles to allow hours of dance performances for a large audience gathered on the sidewalks. The festival celebrates Shibuya’s ties to the southern region of Kagoshima….
Sanno Matsuri Parade
Sanno Matsuri is one of the three major festivals of Tokyo, but don’t expect the millions of spectators that festivals like Sanja Matsuri have. What Sanno Matsuri lacks in attendance it makes up for in stature; it is one of the few festivals that is attended by the Emperor…sort of. In truth, the festival comes…
Koicha
No, it’s not green paint, though you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for such. Koicha is thick green tea, consumed almost exclusively in tea ceremony. Koicha tends to be more expensive than normal green tea as it requires a very high grade leaf with a milder, sweeter taste. This is because the amount of tea used…
Eihei-ji
Eihei-ji temple is one of the head temples of the Soto Zen Buddhism sect and the temple grounds contain over 70 buildings housing up to 250 monks. Located in Fukui Prefecture, the area would not receive a lot of tourism if not for Eihei-ji’s tourist friendly policies and information. Tourists can explore much of the…
Kanazawa
Kanazawa sits on the nearly forgotten west coast of Japan, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture. Kanazawa has a rich history and a strong bond with traditional Japanese culture, so it is no surprise that Kenryokuen, considered one of the three finest Japanese gardens, is in this city. Tsuzumimon, a huge gate built to resemble traditional…
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