Posted in Uncategorized on 04/20/2009 01:14 pm by jord
It seems this is a popular thing to do during cherry blossom season (which lasts only 1-2 weeks per year).
Although cherry blossom season is well and truly over now, I managed to
go along to a night cherry blossom viewing and snap a few videos along
with the thousands of others. It sounds boring, but it’s quite amazing -- not only the way the trees are lit up from underneath which looks beautiful, but also the crowd! Apart from being pushed along by the crowd, the pathways and bridges all become one-way, with a policeman wielding a loudspeaker at every corner ensuring nobody goes the wrong way. Once you’ve started the walk, you can’t leave.
Anyway, here is the video.
Music Viba -- In the Orchard Lies a Secret http://asianvariations.com/bonsai.html
Posted in Uncategorized on 04/17/2009 05:14 pm by jord
This topic is already covered extensively on the internet by foreigners living in Japan, so I won’t go into detail (simply google ‘Kanamara Matsuri’ or ‘Penis Festival Japan’). Basically the story goes that prositutes would pray at this shrine for protection from STDs. See the wikipedia entry, or just check out the photos and video below, I think they explain themselves
The crowd at the festival. I've yet to see as high a concentration of foreigners anywhere else in Japan.
