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Japan is one country that does an excellent job of hanging on to
its stories, its art, its traditions. Many thanks to these
participants for showing us a slice of what life was like in
their country hundreds of years ago. Throughout Japan you will
see a rich heritage of temples, shrines, architecture, lanterns,
festivals, ceremonies, robes, silk, embroidery, and
even traditional make-up. I took this photo during one of the
smaller festivals in May. Had I come to Kyoto two months later I
could have seen one of the biggest festivals of all time, Gion
Matsuri, the "Festival of the Shrine" which
dates all the way back to the year 869. During an epidemic the festival started
as a religious ceremony to appease the gods. To this day they
still select a young boy as a divine messenger. For four days
his feet cannot touch the ground, not until the last parade is
over. But the most festive part of the celebration occurs during the days that proceed parade, when the floats
are put on display, the streets are closed, food venders serve massive amounts
of cuisine, and tourists can even enter some of the floats. |
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