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…
Japanese Bridges Posted by Ginny on Jul 31, 2011
In Japan, there are some well known bridges that serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. Some of these bridges have quite a reputation in Japan. For instance, the Rainbow Bridge (レインボーブリッジ) in Tokyo is famous for its red, green and white colors. There are lamps on the wires that suspend the bridge in place. These…
Observation Towers in Japan Posted by Ginny on Jul 30, 2011
Some of the most beautiful sights that you’ll ever set your eyes upon are the observation towers that light up the night sky. Probably the most famous of all the observation towers is the Tōkyō Tower (東京タワー,). The Tōkyō Tower serves as a support structure for radio and television broadcasting stations. The Tower is also…
Beppu Onsens Posted by Ginny on Jul 27, 2011
It’s never a bad time to go to an onsen (温泉), and that’s true even in the summer! One of the best cities that is known for its onsens is Beppu (別府市). Beppu is located in Ōita Prefecture (大分県) and has the most number of hot springs in Japan. The onsens in Beppu are fabulous…
To the Shore! Posted by Ginny on Jul 22, 2011
This season is a perfect season to go to the seashore in Japan. It made be think of this old Japanese song that made me feel nostalgic of all the times I played at the seashore as a kid. This song is called 浜辺の歌 (hamabe uta), which means ‘the shore song’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W7rgjL-5Ss 明日浜辺を さもよえば (ashita hamabe…
Japan Wins World Cup! Posted by Ginny on Jul 18, 2011
Congratulations to the Japanese Women’s Soccer Team for winning the World Cup! I think the most appropriate thing to say in this situation is 優勝おめでとう (yūshō omedetō), which means “Congratulations on the victory!”. The Japanese victory comes as a pleasant surprise. Previous to this game the Japanese Women’s Team played 25 games against the U.S…
Popular Shinto Shrines Posted by Ginny on Jul 16, 2011
Some of the most visited places in Japan are Japanese shrines. Ise Shrine (伊勢神宮) is the most important shrine in Japan. It is located in Mie Prefecture (三重県) and is a shrine dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu Omikami (天照大神). Since the goddess is considered an ancestor of the Emperor, the Ise Shrine is viewed as…