“The New Year and Obon are the biggest events in the annual calendar.” –Japan-zone.com
There are many different festivals in Japan, however, in this entry I will focus on three of the major ones.
1. Shogatsu, New Year. January 1
This is the most important holiday in Japan. Most businesses are shut down from January 1-3 and families gather to celebrate this occasion. Sending cards out to co-workers, relatives and friends is a popular custom here. It is also a tradition to visit shrines and temples on this day. The most popular one, being Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine can attract up to several million people throughout these three days. Hanetsuki (Japanese badminton) is one of the games played during The New Year.
2. Hina Matsuri, Doll Festival. March 3
This is a festival exclusive for the girls. On this day, dolls are displayed together with peach blossom. Dolls are placed on a five or seven-tiered display representing the Emperor, Empress, and their court. It is believed in the Chinese custom that bad fortune will be transferred to the dolls and then remove after abandoning the dolls at the river. The best place to experience this is at Kada shrine.
3. Obon, Bon Festival. July/August 13-15
This is an event to honor their ancestors and those who have passed on. On this day, lanterns are hung in front of houses and families do grave visits together. Floating paper lanterns are also lighted up and put in rivers, lakes or seas. Many traditions vary from region to region.
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