Andy's
Japanese Site
Japanese Holidays, Local Festivals and Events
Japanese Holidays
New Year's (Shogatsu)
One of the most important, if not THE most important, holidays on the Japanese calendar, New Year's is celebrated for days... both before and after January
1st!!! The Japanese celebrate many "firsts" of the new year... among them, the first shrine visit, the first sunrise (Hatsu hinode), even the first calligraphy of the New Year (Kakizome)!!!
Starting just before midnight, temple bells are rung 108 times (8 times in the old year and 100 times in the new), for the 108 sins of the Buddhist belief. New Year's postcards (Nengajo) are delivered by the billions, usually decorated with pictures of the animal representing the new year, according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. Families gather together and welcome the deity of the incoming year, (toshigami), with feasts of traditional foods including zoni, a soup containing mochi (the pounded rice traditionally served at the New Year). Traditionally, games were played, such as hanetsuki,
a badminton-like game played with a battledore; now days, the battledores are sold as decorative items... many of the traditional games are fading out of the popular culture. Children receive money in specially decorated envelopes (there are envelopes just for weddings, funerals, etc., too)...
Coming of Age Day
One of several Japanese national holidays related to age, 
January 15th is Coming of Age Day. Japanese young people
become full-fledged adults at the age of 20, when they can vote, as well as choose to smoke and/or drink; in addition they assume the responsibilities of adulthood. Families spend huge amounts of money on traditional clothing, photos, etc. for this day; the ceremony itself, held for all those who turned 20 that year, lasts less than an hour.
Girls Festival
If you like beautiful dolls, then you don't want to miss the
Dolls Festival (Hina Matsuri) on March 3rd.. This is an annual holiday
especially for girls. As girls grow up they are traditionally furnished with this set of 15
display-only dolls. Often the Set is completed one doll a year, but a girl may
also be given her mother's or grandmother's heirloom set. The figures are
carefully arranged and displayed in the home to friends and family on March 3rd.
The emperor and empress take the top shelf, followed below by three
ladies-in-waiting, then five musicians, two government ministers, and lastly,
three servants. The Dolls' Festival originated in ancient times and survives
today as a family occasion where young daughters dress in their finest Kimonos
and attend parties just for them. If you have Japanese friends with small
children perhaps you can visit on that day and join in admiring their daughter's
proud collection of imperial figures.
Vernal and Autumnal Equinox
The vernal equinox (the first day of spring) is celebrated as a national holiday, as is the autumnal equinox (first day of fall). This is a day when Buddhists hold "Higan" services, which are memorial services for their ancestors' souls. "Higan", meaning "on the shore of the other side of the river", is the Buddhist's eternal paradise, like the Christian's heaven. Families make offerings on their Buddhist altars, and visit the family graves. The grave site is swept clean, flowers (seasonal flowers, with no thorns) are placed, incense burned, and prayers are said. Buddhists use prayer beads, called "juzu", which are used in much the same way as Catholics use rosary beads.
Golden Week
The week of April 29th through May 5th is known as Golden Week. During this week there are three national holidays; it seems that there are local festivals in many areas, too. April 29th is Greenery Day, a national holiday. It used to be celebrated as an emperor's birthday, but since his death, has been continued to honor his interest in the flora of his country. It is similar to Arbor Day, but more important. Here in Iwakuni, it is also the day of the annual Kintai Bridge Festival. May 3rd is Constitution Memorial Day, also a national holiday. May 5th is Children's Day. This holiday used to be known as Boy's Festival Day; these days, it is known as Children's Day.In Japan, Mother's Day was left as a holiday in honor of mothers, while Father's Day was changed to Parents' Day, to honor both fathers and mothers!!! this is essentially what has happened here. The traditional decorations still emphasize the male child, though. The carp windsocks, called koi-nobori, represent strength, since the Japanese admire the carps' ability to swim upstream, against the current. Warrior dolls, called musha-ningyo, are also displayed, or the warrior's helmet (kabuto) or sword may be displayed alone. Another festival that occurs during this week is a Kite Flying festival, from May 3-5. Since there are so many national holidays in such a short time, many Japanese take (or are given) the entire Golden Week off of work. This week and New Years are the most difficult times to travel in Japan, for this reason.
Respect for the Aged Day
Another of Japan's holidays associated with age, this one honors the elderly. On September 15 there is a national holiday, established in 1966, to celebrate long life, and show respect for the elders of society.
Health-Sports Day
October 10th is a national holiday, too. This is a day to promote a healthy mind and body- in this spirit people may get physical exams, participate in sports meets, etc. Schools sponsor field meets, and American schools (including MC Perry) are sometimes invited to join the festivities!
Shichi-Go-San
Translates as 7-5-3; this festival, celebrated on November 15th is a time when boys (aged 3 and 5) and girls (ages 3 and 7) are taken by their parents to a local shrine to give thanks for their health and growth so far, and to pray for their future. Children wear their traditional finery, and may be given "thousand year candy", a special treat!
Emperor's Birthday
Emperor Akihito, the present Emperor was born Dec. 23, 1933. His birthday has been celebrated as a National Holiday since 1990. Emperor Akihito is the 125th descendant in a direct line from the first emperor, Jimmu, who ascended to the throne in 660 BC. Emperor Showa, the present emperor's father renounced his divinity in 1946; until then, Japanese custom held that the Emperor was a direct descendant of the sun goddess, Amaterasu-o-mikami. Emperor Akihito's son, the Crown Prince Naruhito, married Masako Owada in 1993. She was a career diplomat, educated at Harvard and Oxford, who gave up her career to become the Crown Princess!Local Festivals and Events
FRIENDSHIP DAY: This is the open house day on MCAS Iwakuni. It's held on May 5, which is also the Japanese holiday of Children's Day (or Boy's Day, for traditionalists). It is also the last day in the Golden Week, which is a week that many Japanese take off work and celebrate the national holidays that fall at this time. The Japanese come from hours away, to see what this base is like. Golden Week and New Years are the two worst times to try to travel in Japan. Roads and hotels everywhere are crowded with those celebrating the holidays. So, you're basically stuck here, with the jets roaring over your head. In fact, they sound as if they're coming in one window of the house and exiting through another!
During This time, there were all the usual air show things... static displays of aircraft and vehicles, demonstrations of military maneuvers, etc. The Japanese answer to the Blue Angels, their team, performed. There were bi-planes and C-130's, stunt jets and Harriers. Cool. Been there, seen that. What there was, more than anything else, was PEOPLE. So many people, that you couldn't see the static displays through all the people. A never-ending river of people, pouring in the main gate, and wending it's way to the flight line, where the river spread out into a sea of people. People in swarms; people in droves.
INDEPENDENCE DAY (FOURTH OF JULY): The Japanese also celebrate The 4th of July. It's not too different than celebrating in the States. Most folks get the day off; the lucky ones might even get a 96 (a 4-day weekend off). Of course, some people have to work, as is true anywhere. Some people take off and go camping, and there are the usual picnics and parties.
NISHIKI RIVER WATER FESTIVAL: Summer is a time for fireworks
and Port and River Festivals, here in Japan. There are at least
10 such festivals held between July 19th and Aug 14th, in this area
alone! Iwakuni's Port Festival is in July.
The Nishiki River Festival is held the first Sunday in August, by the Kintai Bridge in
Iwakuni. This was pretty much an all day event, starting at 10am,
with a Treasure Hunt. There were booths set up all along the river
bank, with food and souvenirs for sale.
The fireworks
show usually start at 8pm and lasted an hour-and-a-half.
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