Chika

てるてる坊主 – Teru Teru Bōzu

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てるてる坊主 01

Teru Teru Bōzu is a doll made out of cloth or paper (I used to make it with tissue) to wish for a sunny day.  In the Japanese language “teru” means “(sun) shine” and “bōzu” means “boy”.  If you wish tomorrow to be a sunny day, you display your teru teru bōzu under the eaves upright.  Some people display it upside down to wish for rain.

雨の日本 – Rainy Day in Japan

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雨の日本 01

Traditional Japanese scenes (shrines, temples, old style houses, streets, gardens etc.) look particularly lovely in the rain.  This is good because it rains often in Japan at certain times of year.  Tourists typically prefer to visit during the dry and sunny days, but I still enjoy cloudy skies, and the look and sound of rain on the glistening streets and buildings.

Hydrangeas & Snails

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紫陽花とカタツムリ 01

Hydrangeas (紫陽花 / あじさい) & snails (かたつむり) are both familiar symbols of a rainy season for Japanese people.

梅雨 – Rainy Season

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ajisai

We have a rainy season every year in Japan.  It arrives first in Okinawa (south) and moves up towards the north.  It usually reaches Tokyo around the beginning of June and lasts for about a month to six weeks.  This year it has already arrived in Okinawa and should reach Tokyo during the second week of June.

藤城清治 – Seiji Fujishiro

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Seiji Fujishiro 1

Seiji Fujishiro is one of my favorite Japanese artists.  He is known for shadow play art.  There is a Seiji Fujishiro Museum in Tochigi (1.5 hours from Tokyo by train), Japan.  I have visited the museum, and I felt like I walked into a wonderful mystical space.

Seiji Fujishiro 4

Scavenger Hunt (Sakura Matsuri)

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Join this Scavenger Hunt & win a free 30-minute Skype session

Capture as many as possible of the following items on camera at the National Cherry Blossom Festival 2015 (the street festival) or at the specified location.  Please email your photos to mail@LearnJapan.co.  Please try to include enough background to show that you were at the festival.  You do not have to complete the entire list to win a free Skype session with Learn Japan.

  1. キリンビール
  2. Doraemon’s favorite food
  3. Naruto’s favorite food
  4. Paper craft bird that is traditional Japanese culture/activity
  5. Music instrument that is related to Mr. Miyagi’s (the original Karate Kid’s Sensei’s) hometown.
  6. Signboard/sign for a “シーヴィーエス” within 0.1 miles from the street festival

 

桜祭り – Sakura Matsuri

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Sakura Matsuri

I will be at the Sakura Matsuri (the street festival) for the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC on Saturday, 4/11/15.  Please come out and join a scavenger hunt to win a free 30-minute Skype session with Learn Japan!

Details will be posted here at 11 am, 4/11/15.