21/05: Toshogu, Spring festival
Nikko tour
This festival is held at the Toshogu shrine in Nikko in honor of the first shogun - Tokugawa Ieyasu - of the Edo era.
The highlight of he festival is the parade known as Sennin Gyoretsu- Procession of a thousand people - ,
Featuring the traditional costumes of the Edo era on 18 May.
In the parade, beautifully costumed children march together with adults dressed as samurai in helmets and armor, more than 1200 people take part.
Shishimai - lion dance - features the Shishi or Chinese lion.
The dance was originally used by Japanese farmers as a spell to ward off, not lions, since these are not indigenous to Japan, but wild boar and other animals that cause damage to crops.
Each region has its own unique variation of the dance.
The parade leaves Futarasan shrine at 11 AM, and proceeds along Omotesando street toward Otabisho before returning to Toshogu shrine.
Tokyo city tour - english web site
Viaje a Japon - Spanish web site
Tokyo tour - Japanese web site
This festival is held at the Toshogu shrine in Nikko in honor of the first shogun - Tokugawa Ieyasu - of the Edo era.
The highlight of he festival is the parade known as Sennin Gyoretsu- Procession of a thousand people - ,
Featuring the traditional costumes of the Edo era on 18 May.
In the parade, beautifully costumed children march together with adults dressed as samurai in helmets and armor, more than 1200 people take part.
Shishimai - lion dance - features the Shishi or Chinese lion.
The dance was originally used by Japanese farmers as a spell to ward off, not lions, since these are not indigenous to Japan, but wild boar and other animals that cause damage to crops.
Each region has its own unique variation of the dance.
The parade leaves Futarasan shrine at 11 AM, and proceeds along Omotesando street toward Otabisho before returning to Toshogu shrine.
Tokyo city tour - english web site
Viaje a Japon - Spanish web site
Tokyo tour - Japanese web site
Kyoto city tour - Gion and Geish girl -
Kyoto was the capital of Japan for 1,200 years until 1869 when Tokyo was designated as the capital.
The area has a huge number of cultural assets including temple and shrine.
Many tourists go to Kyoto not only foreign traveler but also Japanese traveler even in the winter time.
My favorit place is Gion where Geisha or Maiko sometimes wander through the streets during the day, but you will have more chances to see one between 5pm and 6:30pm, before they start working.
Geisha are women who make a profession of providing entertainments for banquets.
They do up their hair in the Japanese coiffure; go out to traditional inn and Japanese restaurants.
Wearing Kimono, sing traditional song, play the music and perform traditional dancing.
There was a time when they were also prostitutes, so the sexual image is strong,
But the tendency is rather to regard them as working for valuable profession that inherits traditional arts.
Tokyo city tour- English site
Viaje a Japon - Spanish site
Tokyo tour -Japanese site
Kyoto was the capital of Japan for 1,200 years until 1869 when Tokyo was designated as the capital.
The area has a huge number of cultural assets including temple and shrine.
Many tourists go to Kyoto not only foreign traveler but also Japanese traveler even in the winter time.
My favorit place is Gion where Geisha or Maiko sometimes wander through the streets during the day, but you will have more chances to see one between 5pm and 6:30pm, before they start working.
Geisha are women who make a profession of providing entertainments for banquets.
They do up their hair in the Japanese coiffure; go out to traditional inn and Japanese restaurants.
Wearing Kimono, sing traditional song, play the music and perform traditional dancing.
There was a time when they were also prostitutes, so the sexual image is strong,
But the tendency is rather to regard them as working for valuable profession that inherits traditional arts.
Tokyo city tour- English site
Viaje a Japon - Spanish site
Tokyo tour -Japanese site
