Would you like to meet some of your favourite Sumo Wrestlers and TV stars? Then head down to a temple near you for the annual Setsubun Bean Throwing Festivals on Wednesday February 3rd. Here are a few details and a few bean-throwing stars:
Hatsumode is the traditional visit to a Temple or Shrine at New Year.
here's a good video about Hatsumode. The title of which translates as something like "Middle-aged lady in a mini-skirt goes to Hatsumode"
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdhWda1KcMw]
The best time to go is 12 midnight on New Year's eve. Take a warm coat and a flask of hot tea (or something stronger) with you. Best shrine (which usual means most crowded) to go to is probably Meiji Jingu near Harajuku.
Japan Mud Festival:
[img="http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6510231,00.jpg"]
Held in Yotsukaido in Chiba Prefecture on 25th February 2009 - Local men take part with their children to give thanks to land and wish for a good harvest. Maybe the local ladies can get involved next year...
Would you like to meet some of your favourite Sumo Wrestlers and TV stars?
Then head down to a temple near you for the annual Setsubun Bean Throwing Festivals on Wednesday February 3rd.
Here are a few details and a few bean-throwing stars:
Hasedera Temple Kamakura, Kanagawa (from 10:45am)
Sumo Wrestlers:
Takasago Oyakata (stable master)
TV Celebrity
Osawa Akane
Narita-san Temple, Narita Chiba (from 11am)
Sumo Wrestler:Yokozuna: Asashoryu
Sekiwake: Baruto
NHK Tai ga Drama
Hiroyuki Miyasako
Masaomi Kondo
Mitsuko Baisho
Check for the temples in your area at the Let's Japan Setsubun homepage (in Japanese)
here's a good video about Hatsumode. The title of which translates as something like "Middle-aged lady in a mini-skirt goes to Hatsumode"
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdhWda1KcMw]
The best time to go is 12 midnight on New Year's eve. Take a warm coat and a flask of hot tea (or something stronger) with you. Best shrine (which usual means most crowded) to go to is probably Meiji Jingu near Harajuku.
[img="http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6510231,00.jpg"]
Held in Yotsukaido in Chiba Prefecture on 25th February 2009 - Local men take part with their children to give thanks to land and wish for a good harvest. Maybe the local ladies can get involved next year...