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Konichiwa こんにちは~!!
I haven't posted for a long time and I apologize for that... :-/
Today let's talk about festivals! Japan has TONS of festivals and I just love reading about them so I'm gonna share a few I adore~
First a bit about festivals: Festivals in Japanese is Matsuri 祭 meanng festival or holiday. They are usually sponsored or held at Temples and shrines.
♥) Blossom Viewing Festival (Hanami 全米桜祭り)~
Since this world is named after one of Japan's favorite flowers, I think it's only right to talk about this festival first. Though it is Blossom Viewing, the only flower they really view is the Cherry Blossoms (a.k.a 'Sakura') or occasionally Plum Blossoms (a.k.a 'Ume'). The blossoms perish away after only a week or two and that is why it is greatly celebrated and watched carefully. There is a festival alike this but only involves the Plum Blossom that the older folks enjoy because it is much quieter than the crowded and noisy Cherry Blossom parties. This festival involves close friends, family, delicious food, music and of course, fun! But Japan is not the only country that enjoys this beautiful view. USA does too! Japan gave 3,000 cherry blossoms trees to the US as a gift of their friendship and was planted in Washington, D.C.
♥) Lantern Floating Festival (Tōrō nagashi 灯籠流し)~
Toro means lantern and nagashi means flow. Lantern Floating is somewhat a sacred gesture and usually done after a large killing. Like the bombing during World War II and sometimes this gesture is done after funerals. The lantern is believed to be a light to guide the way for the deceased's spirits. Usually the person releasing the lantern into the water will write a message for the spirit to see. The Lantern Floating Festival is also done to mark the end of the Bon Festival (which we will talk about later on) as a way to send the visiting spirits home.
♥)Bon Festival~
The Bon festival is celebrated by Japanese Buddhists to honor their ancestors. It has changed over the years and it became a custom. It is like a family reunion involving cleaning of their ancestors' graves and a special dance: The Bon Odori.
The festival ends with (mentioned before) the releasing of lanterns also known as the Lantern Floating Festival.
♥) Star Festival (Tanabata 七夕)
Tanabata means: The Evening of the seventh. It is a day to celebrate a lovely romance between Orihime and Hikoboshi (The star Vega and Altair). In the legend of these two lovers, the Milky Way seperates them and only allows them to see each other only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. The custom is to write wishes or sometimes poems on strips of paper called tanzaku paper and hang them on the branches of trees.
I hope you enjoyed this!
Sayonara さようなら~!
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