Merry Xmas? Why not? :)

Hello! :)

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Today I want to mention a few of Japanese holidays, which we can experience only there. 

As you probably know, by many European,s Japan is considered as a country of many odd customs, and it is really difficult to deny it! To understand those habits it is required a lot of knowledge form books, manga, anime, websites but also the ability to proper analysis of the collected information.

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Examples of Japanese holidays

1. HANAMI

The first interesting festival in Japan is Hanami, what means "flower viewing". This is a traditional Japanese custom to admire the beauty of blooming cherry flowers. Pink petals of sakura became an international mark of Japan, you can easily found many pictures of this country, surrounded by a pale pink flowers. Hanami is a custom practiced for centuries and the Japanese people are participating in this festival with great enthusiasm and nondecreasing excitement. The cherry blooming usually takes place in March or April and lasts a surprisingly short time, from a few days to over a week. Hanami is a festival contemplating the transience of time, such as trees in the blink of an eye lose their beautiful flowers, it reminds Japanese people about how short and fragile life is.

2. OBON

Now I would like to mention about another festival celebrated in Japan. Its name is Obon, the buddhist festival of the dead, which usually takes place between 10 and 15 August. One of the characteristics of Obon is letting paper lanterns on the surface of water for lead the souls of dead people to the afterlife. According to the beliefs of Japanese people during Obon souls of the dead are returning to earth to visit thier families and the loved ones. During Obon it is performed the Bon-odori, a dance to commemorate the dead. This dance is accompanied by fireworks and loud music and because of that, the celebration begins to resemble a festival. A form of this festival is misleading many tourists who are not used to the celebrations of of the dead in such an energetic and joyful way.

3. HADAKA MATSURI

Well to be honest it is a little more unusual holiday. Hadaka Matsuri is nothing else but a naked festival. The tradition comes from the eighth century before Christ and participants of this festival are men exclusively who kept wearing only loincloths. This festival is celebrated in January or February, in several Japanese cities. Forms of celebration  differs from each other, but usually the festival begins with younger men, only later the rest of men  joins them. Custom consists of racing wearing just a loincloth, pouring on them cold water, singing religious songs and visiting temple to repeal evil.

4. Christmas holidays

Yes, believe me it is really happening. 
Many of us are complaining that  mass media and malls every year are too soon starting so called "Christmas season". The Japanese are Shinto and Buddhism followers so they are far from celebrating the Christian holidays, right? Nope, mistaken! Japanese people begin celebration in mid-November, when whole cities are possessed by Christmas spirit and every shop is luring the Japanese people with colorful presents. Japanese people love the "Western" tradition and are easily charmed by a holiday mood, despite the fact that only 0.7% of them are Christians. 

To the joy of the Japanese people the priests of Buddhism and Shinto do not mind the presence of Jesus, Mary, and angels in every corner of cities. During Christmas Eve the Japanese are willingly going out to date, or spend their evenings with family and the loved ones. What is more surprising the Japanese have even a "Christmas" menu in McDonald's and KFC.

It's a real Christmas madness!

バイ バイ ! :)