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Cherry blossoms in full flourish in Tamatsukuri Onsen District
This is the time of year, where like a wave, the cherry blossoms trees are flowering throughout Japan. Because of the sheer size of Japan, the flowering period is actually quite long, but very short...
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Musha Gyoretsu, warrior parade (2013)
The annual samurai parade re-enacting the feudal lord, Horio Yoshiharu and his troops officially entering Matsue to take up rule from the newly completed castle, is held the first Saturday of April,...
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Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine
The arduous renovations that are carried out on Izumo Taisha once every 60 years have finally been completed. The main building had been under construction for about three years, but now that all the...
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Got that summer feeling~
One of the very summer-ish things to do here in Japan, is to ‘play’ with ‘fireworks’. By play I mean light and wave around, and by fireworks, I mean sparklers and other small varieties of ‘fireworks’....
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Getting into the festival (matsuri) spirit!
Japan‘s summer festival are known for their lively and energetic processions, usually with a long tradition. There are many aspects of the Japanese festival that makes them attractive, one of such,...
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Tenjin-san Festival: Sacred portable shrines and lively street amusements
Tenjin-san is an annual festival held at Shirakata Tenmangu ( 白潟天満宮; dedicated to Michizane Sugawara, known throughout Japan as the god of Learning) a mere five-minute walk from Matsue JR Station. The...
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Eating at a Japanese matsuri
Festivals, or matsuri as they are known in Japanese, are the perfect opportunity for those adventurous eaters seeking something new and exciting. Most matsuri will have rows upon rows of stalls (yatai)...
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Fireworks festival build-up…
Summer is in full swing, and has brought with it an array of festivals and lively events. The first weekend of August was set aside for one of Matsue’s most highly anticipated. By noon there were...
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Thirty minutes of sparkling skies
“Originally used to ward off evil spirits, fireworks (花火, Hanabi) have a long history in Japan and are an integral part of Japanese summers. Hundreds of firework shows are held every year across the...
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Fireworks over a watery stage
Sunday (day two of Suigo-sai) fireworks kicked off with an extended succession of shots, filling the previously dark sky, creating a loud thunder and a rain of light. After thunderous start winding...
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Dan dan Summer Dance: Japanese tradition & local pride
If you visit Japan between July and August, you are bound to come across at least one bon odori (盆踊り). This is a traditional Japanese dancing festival, organised throughout the country by individual...
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Izumo Taisha revisited
Izumo Taisha (also known as Izumo grand shrine), is ranked at the moment as the most popular domestic travel destination for Japanese persons. This is undoubtedly because of the recent Sengu (renewal)...
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Nightly pounding of taiko drums
If you’ve visited Matsue in October, you more than likely will have come across various groups pounding on large taiko drums every night between 7pm and 9pm. These drums are called do drums (pronounced...
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Mardi gras parade across Ohashi river!
Mardi gras in Japan? Okay, so not exactly the cultural event that you’d expect of the country of sushi, sumo and hello kitty. And perhaps even more surprising for a small provincial city noted for its...
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Annual drumming parade, a tradition of joy
So I’ve posted in previous years about the do-gyorestu, a traditional drumming parade which occurs annually here in Matsue. The large dou drums were originally used as part of celebrations to welcome a...
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Omotsan (おもっつぁん) -Traditional Ceremony/Event
Can you guess what it is you’re looking at? These are the large pounded rice cakes, omochi (大餅) at the centre of an annual tradition dating back to the beginning […]
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