Hina Matsuri: Doll Festival (Girl’s Day)

Japanese Coming of Age Day

Seijin no Hi (成人の日) was established in 1947 as a national holiday (January 15th), but now it is held annually on the second Monday of January. Festivities include ceremonies held at local and prefectural offices and parties amongst family and friends to celebrate passage into adulthood.

Culture Day (Bunka no Hi) – November 3

Culture Day (文化の日, Bunka-no-hi) is a national holiday held annually in Japan on November 3 for the purpose of promoting culture, the arts, and academic endeavor. Festivities typically include art exhibitions, parades, and award ceremonies for distinguished artists and scholars.

Kawasaki Halloween Festival 2008

Kawasaki is a city near Tokyo and a host of an annual Halloween parade. Warning: some pictures might be very scary 😛

Japanese Holiday: Respect for the Aged Day

Respect-for-the-Aged Day (敬老の日, Keirō no hi) is a Japanese holiday celebrated annually to honor elderly citizens. A national holiday since 1966, this used to be held on September 15. Beginning in 2003, Respect for the Aged Day is held on the third Monday of September.

Ghost Season in Japan

Yuki Onna (雪女)

“Asleep or awake, that was the only time that I saw a being as beautiful as you. Of course, she was not a human being; and I was afraid of her,– very much afraid,– but she was so white!… Indeed, I have never been sure whether it was a dream that I saw, or the Woman of the Snow.”… (Source)

Tokyo Design Festa 2008

Artists from all over the world will express their work through this freestyle international event and gallery