Sports Day!

The second Monday of October is Sports Day in Japan, a national holiday to foster healthy mind and bodies through physical activity. Since Sports Day is generally blessed with fine weather, it's when many elementary and middle schools schedule their field days.

Cherry Blossoms at School Yard in Color

                  © Motoko Shimizu

Cherry Blossoms at School Yard

The Japanese school year begins in April. Early April is also the time when cherry blossoms are in full bloom. © Motoko Shimizu

Doll‘s Festival

“Hinamatsuri (Doll‘s Festival)” is held on March 3 to pray for young girl's growth and happiness. Each family sets up a display of Hina dolls clothed in colorful kimono © Motoko Shimizu

Happy New Year!

Oshogatsu (New Year) is Japan's biggest holiday. Families and friends get together and eat special food, go to temples andshrines to pray for a healthy and prosperous year. Some kids go outside and play traditional games such as Hanetsuki (Japanese Badminton) although the most fun for kids is Otoshidama, pocket money from parents and relatives! ©Motoko Shimizu

 *Click to enlarge

 

New Year's Eve

On New Year's Eve, families gather around and eat toshi-koshi ("year-crossing") buckwheat noodles in the hope that one's life will be stretched out as long as these noodles. As midnight approaches, Buddhist temples around the country begin ringing out the old year, sounding the temple bell 108 times that is struck for the 108 earthly desires believed to cause human suffering. © Motoko Shimizu

Tsukimi(Moon Viewing)

The full moon around the middle of the eighth month of the lunar calendar was called the mid-autumn moon(9/19 this year), and it became a custom to arrange Tsukimi (Moon Viewing) parties to appreciate its beauty. Houses are decorated with pampas grass and dumplings are made and offered to the moon together with samples of crops from the autumn harvest.
© Motoko Shimizu

*For Coloring Fun!

Rainy Season!

 For Coloring Fun!

From around early June to mid-July, most of Japan is subject to a period of rainy weather called tsuyu. Day in and day out, the sky remains gloomy, and temperatures and humidity rise. But the early summer rain helps plants grow and flourish, and it's a valuable source of drinking water. © Motoko Shimizu