Festivals, or matsuri are an integral part of Japanese culture. Even matsuri can seem a bit old-fashioned and sometimes religious for ultra-modern, secular Japan, these festivals are a staple of Japanese society that most people take part in. Though there are a few festivals that are celebrated across Japan, there are a few that are [...]
Did you know that every year the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society chooses a “Kanji of the Year”? They choose a character that best represents the events of that past year through a national ballot where of course, the kanji with the most votes wins. Then, it’s announced on Kanji Day (December 12) at Kiyomizu Temple [...]
Does riding down a hill on top of a giant log at high speeds sound a little bit dangerous to you? Good. Then you’ll probably want to be in the audience if you ever make it to the Onbashira-sai festival, held every six years in the Lake Suwa area of Nagano, Japan. The last one [...]
My Japan-related YouTube buddy Gimmeabreakman posted this video up about a week ago – it does an amazing job summing up naked men, festivals, and Japan, all in one (very nice HD) video, which you can view above.
