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Ceremony and Ritual in Japan


by Robert George, Dec 13, 2002 | Destinations: Japan / Tokyo
Springtime in Japan is one of the year's most anticipated events. With it comes Ohanami--cherry blossom time. During Ohanami season, which lasts only a few short weeks, the people of Japan turn out in droves to gather in city parks and private gardens in celebration of the ephemeral beauty of the flowering trees.

Springtime in Japan is one of the year's most anticipated events. With it comes Ohanami--cherry blossom time. During Ohanami season, which lasts only a few short weeks, the people of Japan turn out in droves to gather in city parks and private gardens in celebration of the ephemeral beauty of the flowering trees.

Image © 2002 Robert George
Springtime in Japan is one of the year's most anticipated events. With it comes Ohanami--cherry blossom time. During Ohanami season, which lasts only a few short weeks, the people of Japan turn out in droves to gather in city parks and private gardens in celebration of the ephemeral beauty of the flowering trees.
The New Year is Japan's most important celebration. At this time, the people of Japan visit shrines and temples to pray for blessings in the year to come. Families gather to enjoy specially prepared foods called O-sechi, and to exchange seasonal gifts. One traditional New Year's gift is a symbolic arrow to ward off bad fortune in the coming year.
On New Year's Day, all over Japan, people pay a visit to nearby shrines and temples to pray for health and prosperity in the coming year. Visitors remove their shoes to preserve both the sanctity and the cleanliness of these holy places.
In the heart of Gunma Prefecture near Mt. Haruna, is the ancient temple known as Mizusawa, dedicated to Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Amid a cloud of incense, this visitor offers a prayer to the images of Fudosan, the patron saint of suffering.

A story told with photos.


More From This Author

Perhaps the most anticipated and beloved celebration in Japan is the season known as Ohanami. The word translates as flower watching, and depending upon the weather in mid-spring, sometime during the month of April, the entire nation of Japan bursts into bloom with the ubiquitous sakura, the flowering cherry tree. The sakura create a frosty-pink canopy over city parks and country hillsides alike, and the people of Japan emerge after the long winter to rejoice in this ephemeral season. Beneath a canopy of blossoms, street vendors offer an array of traditional foods, including yakitori, skewers of savory grilled chicken.

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The Tokyo district of Rygoku is home of one of Japan's most famous Sumo wrestling facilities. Sumo wrestlers train very strenuously for their six annual basho tournaments, and must consume up to 10,000 calories a day to achieve and maintain their enormous stature. When they're not in training however, they can be seen strolling the city sidewalks wearing blue and white cotton robes called yukata.

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In contemporary Japan, urban architecture is an eclectic juxtaposition of old-world traditional, post-war Bauhaus, and ultra-modern futuristic styles. And sometimes--it's a combination of all three!

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Japanese salarymen are expected to show devotion to the company by working long hours, often six days a week. So, a sunny lunch hour provides a welcome opportunity for a little R&R.

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