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Sakura means cherry blossoms and they are a national pastime in Japan. Every spring, there will be fervent discussions on best cherry blossom sites and forecasts about blooming times. Many people have ‘flower watching’ parties known as Hanami.
The 'Sakura' tree is representative of new beginnings. For Japanese, the blooming of the cherry blossoms symbolizes human life and transience. The cherry blossoms are said to be like clouds as they bloom all at once and hang above the trees. And just like clouds, they suddenly disappear. This symbolizes the transient nature of life.
Omikuji is a fortune strip that you can draw at a temple or a shrine. First, you donate some money, usually 100 Yen, and shake the cylinder box till one stick drops out of the box. Then, you match the number on the stick with that on the row of boxes. Inside the box is a piece of paper with your fortune. Take the paper and return the stick to the cylinder box.
Your fortune can cover many areas ranging from health to romance and business. Your luck may be excellent, general, middle, small or bad. If you draw bad luck, then tie it to a tree or rod in the designated area nearby. If you draw good luck, you can either tie it to the rod or take your Omikuji home with you.
Omamori translates to “guide or protect” and is a silky bag which acts like a talisman you keep in your wallet or pocket. Inside the bag is a paper or wood with a small prayer written and stamped with the temple name. There are Omamori for every purpose; for success, money, education, marriage, traffic safety, etc. They expire in a year or when its purpose is fulfilled. You then bring it back to the temple and the priests burn it in a sacred fire in the beginning of the next year.
Ema is a small wooden plaque on which you write your wishes. This is a Shinto tradition and is found in all the Shrines. The word Ema is made of two characters, one for picture and one for horse.
To make a wish, donate the prescribed amount, get a Ema plaque, write your wish on it and hang it in the special display area. The Ema is burnt in the beginning of the year in a sacred fire.
A goshuin is a seal that is unique to every temple and shrine. For a nominal fee, a priest or a monk will inscribe the name of the temple and the date in your Goshuincho, which is a special book available at any shrine or temple for purchase. This book opens out like a scroll and every page can be inscribed with an individual stamp. It can be a perfect memento of your trip and proof of your pilgrimage.
Bodhidharma, an Indian monk who brought Zen teaching and Shaolin Kungfu to China over 1500 years ago.
In Japan he is known as Daruma Daishi and is the inspiration for the wishing dolls called Daruma. These dolls are popular in Japan as symbols of luck when people embark on something new. When purchased, the eyes are blank. The buyer selects a goal and paints in the left eye; he fills in the right eye only after achieving his objective.
It is traditional sculpture of a cat with a raised paw, and it brings good luck to whoever own it. You will see this statute in front of shops and is supposed to bring good luck. If the cat raises its left paw, it is trying to attract customers and if it is raising his right paw, its attracting money.
Sake is actually a generic Japanese word for alcohol. Nihonshu is an rice wine with 10-20% alcohol and is what is known as sake in the world. Some varieties are drunk warm and others cold or ambient. Umeshu is a plum wine, usually sweet and mixed with water or soda.
Izakaya are Japanese-style pubs serving beer, nihonshu, cocktails alongside casual meals at reasonable prices.
“Cheers” in Japanese is “kanpai”.
Tanuki is an animal which is usually mistaken for a raccoon. In Japan the tanuki figures are supposed to bring good luck and prosperity. You will see a tanuki statue outside a restaurant. In the left hand is a bottle of nihonshu his favorite drink and in the right hand ia an accounts book. Another characteristic is the tanuki has oversized testicles, almost hanging to his feet. It is called kin-tama or gold balls. These are a symbol of good luck.
It is a fish statue seen on the roofs of many castles and towers in Japan. The statue has a fish body with a tiger head. The Shachihoko is believed to provide protection against fire. Ancient Japan faced many devastating fires throughout its history and this was a protective talisman.
A typical procession is led by two priests and 2 shrine maidens, followed by the bride and groom under a red umbrella, and they are followed by family and friends. During the ceremony, the couple share 3 cups of sacred rice wine, taking turns drinking. A priest recites Shinto liturgy and a shrine maiden performs a dance. The ceremony ends with another procession.
Manga is a word that designates Japanese comics and is a big element of Japanese lives. Manga means involuntary drawing. It was used to refer to series of connected images characterized by strong facial images bordering on caricature. In 1814, the artist Hokusai published a book of sketches and that was the beginning
Anime is an adaptation of the english word “animation” and is used to refer to animated cartoons produced by japanese artists.
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