Category Archive for "Holidays and festivals"
Meri Kurisumasu – Christmas in Tokyo
Only once in my life was I away from my family at Christmas, and that one time I was far away indeed, in Tokyo. I noticed that Christmas was coming from the unbelievable quantity of poinsettias, Christmas trees in the... Continue reading
Halloween in Japan
When I was in Tokyo 8 years ago on a scholarship, the cult of Halloween was already pushing its way into Japan. Jack-o’-lanterns, witches, and ghosts were all over the shops in October, where they took over the window displays.... Continue reading
Company hanami
As a company with multiple links to Japan, it was apt that we joined in celebrating a delightful and much-loved holiday like the hanami (“the picnic to celebrate the beauty of the cherry blossoms”). Luckily, there is a Japanese cherry... Continue reading
Tanabata – Festival of the Loom
In Japan, July 7 was originally called the Day of the Loom or the Festival of the Loom. (In Japanese the loom is called 棚織 and pronounced “tanabata.”) In historic Japan a cleansing ritual was enacted in which maidens wove... Continue reading