Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
Happy Hina Matsuri! This early spring holiday is one of my favorites in Japan, probably due to the fact that I have my own daughter, for whom we long ago purchased our family's very first set of Hina dolls. Five years later, we now own a few small sets (I told you, I really like this... Continue Reading →
Oh my goodness, this month has been crazy. February might be the shortest month of the year, but it sure has been the busiest! I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately, but I hope to remedy that in March. February is the lead-up month to Hina Matsuri on March 3rd. If you've followed this... Continue Reading →
Whew, I've been neglecting the blog quite a bit as of late. The move to Tokyo went as well as could be expected but with the lack of furniture following quickly after, we high-tailed it to Tohoku late last week to escape some of the heat and see some of the summer festivals. I'm still... Continue Reading →
Ahhh, Girls' Day. The older my daughter gets, the more I love this holiday. And truth be told, the longer she's in school, the more cultural tidbits I get to pick up as well. In last year's post, I wrote mostly about the tradition of putting up Hina Dolls in one's house (but only if... Continue Reading →
Along with fantastic displays for Hina Matsuri (the Doll Festival), the city of Yanagawa in southern Fukuoka prefecture is known for its canals. Though I'd been to Yanagawa before, I'd never managed to catch this particular manhole cover before: The waterways crisscross the city and were once used as irrigation channels for the area's crops.... Continue Reading →
Hina Matsuri (Girls' Day) may officially be over, but the displays in some locations will be up until the end of the month. One city in Japan that decorates for the Doll Festival in a big way is Yanagawa, a canal city at the very southern edge of Fukuoka Prefecture. Beginning around mid-February, many shops,... Continue Reading →
Today is officially Hina Matsuri, also known as Girls' Day, though I must admit I feel like we have been celebrating for quite some time now. Tiers of hina dolls have been popping up in the past few weeks, making for beautiful and eye-catching displays everywhere from shrines to department stores. I've now been to Hina... Continue Reading →
Hina Matsuri, also known as Girls' Day, is coming up this weekend (March 3). Tiers of hina dolls have been popping up in the past few weeks, making for beautiful and eye-catching displays everywhere from shrines to department stores. As the mother of a young daughter, this holiday has taken on even more meaning for me as... Continue Reading →
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