Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
Japan has a host of unique festivals, but I'll admit my eye was caught by this particular celebration's other name … the Warabi Naked Festival. Babies, mud, men in underwear and chicken fights all seem to play a part in this harvest festival in Chiba Prefecture, a short train ride from Tokyo. The festival takes... Continue Reading →
The leaves may not be turning until November, but Kumamoto likes to kick off the autumn early with the five-day fall festival at the city's Fujisaki Hachiman Shrine. While the weather may still be a tad on the warm side, who doesn't love dancing, drumming and ... drunken horses??? The origins of the festival are... 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 →
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 →
Mid-August is a hard time to travel around Japan. It's hot, it's muggy, everything's crowded because the kids are out of school and then - BAM - all of a sudden, it seems that everyone and their brother (which is very nearly the truth) is crowding onto your train to Kyoto! Where on earth did... Continue Reading →
Uncover Japan 