May
5
the golden week
We're in the middle of the golden week. You may know that three national holidays are in a row in the first week of May and there is another national holiday at the end of April in Japan. So, if the timing is good, you can get a week off from work. It's called the golden week.
May the 5th is traditionally called Tango no sekku and it's originally a festival for boys. But it's called kodomo no hi means "Children's day" recently. Yet, the traditional custom is still alive. We raise some carp streamers outside to celebrate the day because a carp is regarded as a symbol of courage since it swims upstream against the current. Those carp streamers are koi nobori means "rising carps or carp flags".
We also display special dolls called Mushaningyou which are modeled after the warriors of the Middle Ages. Both of them are for wishing boys to grow up strong. So the day is turned now for wishing all the children (both boys and girls) to grow up healthy and strong.
See the handcraft frame in the picture above. There are some koi nobori shaped items and a boy with kabuto is sitting on a wood shelf. Kabuto is an old-fashioned helmet which was used in the Middle Ages. Shoubu or Japanese irises are also in the frame because the flower is a symbol of Tango no sekku. The word shoubu is also means "win or lose", which is a symbolic word for brave warriors. I think it's a pun.
As you know that the Japanese summer is hot and unbearably humid, this is the best season for us before the rainy season called tsuyu in June and the unpleasant summer.
Categories: events , handcrafts
Apr
11
cherry blossoms
April is the season of cherry blossoms. The pink flowers bloom in the southern part of Japan first and gradually move north. The season itself becomes warmer and warmer, so I think this is the best season for us. As you see in the picture, the flowers look like pink clouds.
There are many hanami spots (means "suitable place to see the flowers") in this Kansai area as well as in the other parts of Japan. Many people have a picnic style party under the trees with cherry blossoms blooming in full force. It's pleasant to eat and drink outdoors.
If you plan on visiting Japan, I recommend this season. However, as the flowers fall within a week or two, you should choose the right time. The best time is usually the second week of April around Osaka in Kansai area, a bit after that around Tokyo in Kantou area.
The following pictures are some of my best shots of cherry blossoms. Aren't they beautiful?
Taken in the Expo'70 Memorial Park in Osaka
Taken in Arashiyama in Kyoto
Taken in the Nijou Castle in Kyoto
Cherry blossoms are beautiful not only in the daytime but also at night. We often enjoy yozakura kenbutsu (means "enjoy seeing cherry blossoms at night"). The beauty of it is much different from that in the daylight.
Categories: events
Here's another handcraft frame. This is for March. The theme is Hina-matsuri because we celebrate the day for girls on March 3rd. 
The picture is a doll house like mini frame of which the theme is St.
Valentine's Day. I bought a series of handcraft kits to make this kind
of frame and this is one of them. This one expresses 4 steps to bake a
chocolate cake.
*** April ***
*** June ***
*** December ***
Now we're in 2012. Some of you may know, the Japanese biggest annual
event is New Year's Day. We celebrate the beginning of the year with
special dishes and new year parties, like westerners celebrate Christmas
Day.
Merry Christmas! The photo is my favorite x’mas bunnies. Do you know
them? These are the "le sucre" bunnies which designed by Naomi Tozaki, a
Japanese artist. Cute, aren't they? This is a typical example of
Japanese word "kawaii " means. I'll up more pictures of them
in the mean time.
