Your Earth From Our View: June 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Tanabata -Japan

Tanabata (七夕?, meaning "Evening of the seventh") is a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival.It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. The date of Tanabata varies by region of the country, but the first festivities begin on July 7 of the Gregorian calendar. The celebration is held at various days between July and August.

SENDAI TANABATA FESTIVAL from seiji onoe on Vimeo.

Hakata Yamakasa

2011博多祇園山笠HakataYamakasa(timelapse) from kjmm on Vimeo.

Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival - Japan

Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival signals the coming of summer in town. With over 760 years of history, Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a Shinto ritual dedicated to Hakata’s main tutelary deity Kushida Shrine, and designated as an important intangible folk asset of the country. When the gorgeous Kazariyama floats (Sei-no-Yamakasa) are displayed throughout the city on July 1, the town is awash in Yamakasa mood and the 15-day event begins, celebrated with two contrasting types of floats of stillness (sei) and movement (do). Loincloth-clad float carriers, splashed with water, pull and carry floats that weigh a ton (Do-no-Yamakasa). They run through the streets with tremendous speed, power and gallant cries. The festival climaxes on July 15 at 4:59am with the Oiyama race, and brings the hot summer to Fukuoka. Onlookers can feel the spirit and pulse of these yamanobose men, who are heroic and hearty and are crazy about Yamakasa.

2011博多祇園山笠(Hakata Gion Yamakasa) from kjmm on Vimeo.