Archive for August, 2011
Obon Songs and Dances Posted by Ginny on Aug 12, 2011
Around this time of the year many regions in Japan are celebrating Obon (お盆). Obon is a time when the spirits of the dead are honored. All over Japan people celebrate Obon by performing special dances to particular songs. The songs are often traditional Japanese folk songs that vary from region to region. One of…
Ogasawara Islands Posted by Ginny on Aug 6, 2011
In June of this year the smaller islands on Ogasawara Islands (小笠島) were designated as World Heritage Sites. Some of the islands have interesting names. In particular, some of the islands are named after family member. For example, there is Chichi Jima (父島), which means ‘Dad Island’. It is the largest of the Ogasawara Islands…
Japanese Festivals in August Posted by Ginny on Aug 4, 2011
The Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri (弘前ねぷた祭り) takes place in the city of Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture (青森県). The Hirosaki Neputa Festival is a brightly colored festival where giant paper lanterns are paraded through the streets. These paper lanterns are decorated with images of samurai, mythological gods and goddesses, etc. After the festival has finished, the lanterns…