Japan Where tradition meets the future

This is the cool movie about modern and tradition Japan

This movie vividly portrays the traditional, modern and natural attractions of Tokyo, Kyoto and other locations throughout Japan from a unique perspective.

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What is this!? Hundreds of fish in the air!!

Have you ever seen hundreds of fish in the air in Japan?

Now you understand why there are so many fish in the air.

Please see beutiful Koinobori below:

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UNESCO: Yakushima where trees of the age of 1,000 years grow

What is Yakushima?

I have never been to Yakushima before. But I heard good things about the place. Especially, it is very famous for Jyoumonsugi which you can find in the secound video.



From wiki

Yakushima (屋久島) is one of the Ōsumi Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The island, 504.88 km2 (194.94 sq mi) in area, has a population of 13,178. Access to the island is by hydrofoil ferry (7 or 8 times a day from Kagoshima, depending on the season), slow car ferry (once or twice a day from Kagoshima), or by air to Yakushima Airport (3 to 5 times daily from Kagoshima, once daily from Fukuoka and once daily from Osaka). Administratively, the whole island is the town of Yakushima. The town also serves neighbouring Kuchinoerabujima. The majority of the island is within the borders of the Kirishima-Yaku National Park

     

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Created a map to share cool places which I introduce in my blog!

Spiritual but mysterious place: Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine

Very spiritual and mysterious place

The shrine is hidden among the forests surrounding Takamori, a small town that lies in the Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture. This shrine is well-known among locals as a power spot, and this is not surprising for it has a highly spiritual atmosphere. Those who visit the shrine and touch the Hogeto Iwa Stone are said to be granted good luck, and the shrines sacred Nagi Tree is said to protect relationships. 

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Location:

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Source:
ONSEN ISLAND KYUSHU

What is Setsubun? What is Mamemaki?

Definition of Setsubun and Mamemaki

From Wiki:

Setsubun (節分) is the day before the beginning of spring in Japan.The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun (立春) celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (春祭 haru matsuri). In its association with the Lunar New Year, spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (豆撒き, literally "bean scattering"). Setsubun has its origins in tsuina (追儺), a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century.

Mamemaki

The custom of mamemaki first appeared in the Muromachi period. It is usually performed by the toshiotoko (年男) of the household (the male who was born on the corresponding animal year on the Chinese zodiac), or else the male head of the household. Roasted soybeans (called "fortune beans" (福豆 fuku mame)) are thrown either out the door or at a member of the family wearing an Oni (demon or ogre) mask, while the people say "Demons out! Luck in!" (鬼は外! 福は内! Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!) and slam the door.[ This is still common practice in households but many people will attend a shrine or temple's spring festival where this is done. The beans are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them. Then, as part of bringing luck in, it is customary to eat roasted soybeans, one for each year of one's life, and in some areas, one for each year of one's life plus one more for bringing good luck for the year to come.
The gestures of mamemaki look similar to the Western custom of throwing rice at newly married couples after a wedding

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Setsubun event in the public places

Here is the video on Mamemaki which was done in the Yoshida shirine.

How we have Mamemaki at school and home

We even have mamemaki in the kindergarten which looks like this.

Mamemaki in the house looks like this...lol

Mamemaki in the house looks like this...lol

anyhow, the important thing to remember is that because of clean up we use pakages of beans to do event at home,lol

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Source:
WIKI

Meiji Shrine Favorite relax place in Tokyo

Amazon g forest in the middle of Tokyo

I just went to Meiji shrine yesterday. It is the one of my favorite place to visit in Tokyo. What I like about the shrine is the gap between all the building around Meiji Shrine and great forest inside Meiji Shrine area. If I visit Meiji Shrine I can feel fresh air and I can relax. In addition, size of Trii, which following video will explain, and shrine is so gorgeous and huge. Even I visit couple of times, the appearance amaze me.

Please take a look this visit as well!

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You are missing something if you have never seen Japanese cherry blossoms

Now is time for cherry blossoms!!

KYOTO JAPAN Shooting: Early April 2014 The night cherry blossoms in Kyoto are lighted up, supple and elegant beauty, with a completely different face seen from the day's face. The most popular is Kiyomizudera. The stage of Shimizu and the 1000 lighted cherry blossoms are beautifully emerging, and the blue light which is released to the sky is a representation of Mr. Kannon's mercy and can also enjoy the night view in Kyoto city. Next we recommend Nijo castle. The castle to which Tokugawa Ieyasu was built and Ikko was completed was also known as the historical stage where the Great Admiralty was announced, followed by cherry blossom trees that cast a majestic Nijo castle, about 200 cherry blossoms that are lighted up, Directing the aisle with a foot light, the world of the deeply creates. Recently, the popularity has gone up is Toji Temple. One lightly-raised cherry blossoms are "Fuji cherry blossoms" with age of over 120 years and a height of 13 m. The five-storied pagoda in the background is 55 meters high in Japan as the existing five-storied pagoda, and it shows exactly emotional landscapes like Kyoto. If you enjoy the streets of Kyoto and wander around the cherry blossoms at night, you can walk around in the garden of emotional rich night at Gion Shirakawa.

Lit up red leaves of Rikugien Japanese garden

Enjoy autumn leaves of Rikugien Japanese garden in Tokyo. You can see beautiful Japanese garden and lit up red leaves.