Like this post? Help us by sharing it! There are seven wonders of the world, seven days of the week, early astronomers recgognised seven planets, we avoid the seven deadly sins, and we pray for sevens at slot machines. The world has always had a fascination with the number seven and Japan is no exception. […]
September 2020
Cradle to the grave – birth, marriage and death in Japan
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Every culture has rituals and ceremonies that mark the key stages of life – usually birth, marriage, and death. In many cases, these rituals have a religious significance. The baby of Catholic parents, for example, will probably be baptised in church. At a Jewish wedding the groom […]
The Circle of Life – Rituals, Celebrations and Festivals in Japan
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Seasons and cycles Living in Japan, I’ve been flabbergasted a number of times when someone has asked, in all seriousness, if my home country of England has the same cycle of four seasons as Japan. It’s something the Japanese hold as unique and prized. While politely pointing […]
There’s a festival for that: Japan and its matsuri
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! A trip to Japan at any time is a cultural adventure, with plenty of very ‘Japanese’ experiences to try on your travels through the country. Staying in a traditional ryokan guest house, heading to a local izakaya, riding the Shinkansen, tucking into a bowl of good ramen and […]
The Rituals of Childhood
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! You are struck by ritual and tradition everywhere in Japan – from the moment you step off the plane to the ground crew bowing your arrival. What may seem quite different, or even quaint at the time, is actually just a continuation of values and traditions instilled […]