Japan

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  • Hana Matsuri, Japan

    Hana Matsuri, or "Flower Festival," is a Japanese Buddhist celebration held annually on April 8 to commemorate the birth of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha). Temples are decorated with flowers, symbolizing the garden in which Buddha was born. A key tradition is the kanbutsu-e ceremony, where people pour sweet tea (amacha) over small Buddha statues, reenacting the…

  • Kodomo no Hi

    Kodomo no Hi, also known as Children's Day, is a Japanese national holiday celebrated on May 5th. It honors the well-being and happiness of children, featuring traditional decorations like Koinobori (carp-shaped streamers) and the display of samurai dolls, symbolizing strength and courage, in households with boys. LEARN MORE HERE.

  • Tanabata (Star Festival)

    Tanabata, also known as the "Star Festival," is celebrated every year on July 7 in Japan. Read more.

  • Kanto Matsuri, Japan

    The Kanto Festival is an annual event held every year in Akita City, Japan. Eight-meter tall bamboo poles decorated with hanging lanterns are balanced by performers on their foreheads or lower backs. The lanterns are decorated to resemble bags of rice. This is a time for people to pray for a good harvest.

  • Obon Festival, Japan

    Obon or Bon is a traditional Japanese Buddhist festival to honor the spirits of ancestors. It is believed that their spirits return to visit during this time, so families visit the graves and make food offerings at altars and temples. Chochin (paper lanterns) are hung to guide the spirits.

  • Shichi-Go-San

    Shichi-Go-San literally means 7-5-3 in Japanese. The festival, held every November 15, is a traditional rite of passage for Japanese boys turning 3 and 5 and girls turning 3 and 7 years old. It celebrates the growth and happiness of young children. Read more.

  • Ōmisoka, Japan

    Ōmisoka —or ōtsugomori —is a Japanese traditional celebration on the last day of the year. It is customary for people to clean their homes, eat soba or udon noodles, and bathe at night to rid themselves of uncleanliness. Bells are struck 108 times to bring in the new year and lift people from suffering.

  • Shōgatsu, Japan

    Shōgatsu, or Japanese New Year, is one of the most important holidays in Japan, celebrated from January 1–3 with family gatherings, traditional foods, and special customs. Activities include cleaning homes beforehand, decorating with kadomatsu (pine and bamboo arrangements), and visiting shrines to pray for good fortune in the coming year. It is a time for…

  • Setsubun

    Setsubun, the Bean-Throwing Festival, takes place before the first day of spring in Japan. Roasted soybeans called fuku mame (fortune beans) are thrown for good luck.