Festival Time

I loves me a good festival. Having done a bit of travelling around Japan I've managed to see quite a few, from local country fair's to big city street dance festivals, to Flower Viewing in front of a castle. There are several major festivals throughout the year but any given weekend there a various festivals happening around Japan. If you're visiting Japan I highly recommend you check out what festivals will be in the area, you never know when they'll be burning kanji on a mountain, or dancing with the dead.



Daruma Festival

Last Thursday my town held a Daruma festival. Closing off a few side streets and packing it with stalls selling various food and and a mountain of Daruma dolls. When you buy a Daruma you're supposed to make a wish/goal, usually written on the back of its head, and paint in one eye, then when you achieve that goal you paint in the other eye. At the end of the year you take it back to the temple you bought it from and burn it, buy another one, repeat. The traditional Darumas are red, meaning 'luck', but there are several other colours which can mean wealth, health, success (work/exams) and even safety while driving. Near the center of the festival was a small temple with a big bonfire of old Darumas that people had bought the previous year.

Being a first time buyer I picked up one of the standard edition red (faster?) ones and took it home. I wrote my goal, "The success of Score Studios", painted in one of the eyes and patted its head for a bit of extra luck. I thought that placing it on my desk facing me would inspire me, but having it stare at me constantly with its one eye is kind of creepy so I moved it to a more out of the way position on a shelf. Im guessing it will stay there until next year when I get to burn it, hopefully with its other eye painted in.



Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day in Japan is different to what I expected, girls make chocolate at home and give it to the boy the like. This usually consists of buying special valentines day chocolate at the store, melting it down into a different shape and sprinkling powdered chocolate on top. I'm sure it was harder in the days before department stores...

They also give "obligation" chocolate so as not to make the other boys lonely. This is usually given to co-workers and other such people you see every day. Of course you dont say its obligation chocolate, thats something for you to figure out yourself, especially if you're a foreigner and haven't been told about this custom. When someone finally explains it to you, don't worry, you probably still have some time to intercept the flower delivery guy.

"But what about the girls?!" I hear you cry. Don't worry, they get their fair share of chocolate a month later on what is traditionally known as White day. This is now the boys turn to give back chocolate to all the girls they received it from. This day might also catch you by surprise if nobody tells you, luckily convenience stores are packed with expensive chocolate for us forgetful types.

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