三日曽根横町の獅子舞 Lion dance of Mikkasone Yokocho 

photo: @EiichiYoshioka

full body suit in progress…

Traditional Dances -12

The more common looking one

Japan- Lion Dance/ Shishimai

Incredible trip to Takamatsu to see the Shishimai Okoku festival! So many groups performed the Shishimai dance and in very different styles.

I had never seen the Rikyuu (Okinawan) style Shishimai before, so I’m not sure if the group I saw at Takamatsu performs in a typical Okinawan or their own unique style, but their performance was fantastic. I loved seeing them walk around and join (invade?) others later on too.

ボリュームたっぷり「日新除魔図」――特別展「北斎」　九州国立博物館で６月１２日まで 日新除魔図（宮本家本）八月廿七日　葛飾北斎 画　1842～1843年 日新除魔図（宮本家本）三月三日　葛飾北斎 画　1842～1843年 日新除魔図（宮本家本）六月十三日　葛飾北斎 画　1842～1843年 九州国立博物館 所蔵

Today I had to do the Japanese Lion dance. Haha single affair and more calm then the Chinese one. Its called the shishimai. No idea what to do, except act like a dog. #jakeinjapan #shishimai #newyears #ogikubo https://www.instagram.com/p/CnSzqHxhj6rE5OXRDbZVaiFH5whOVqIuCRezmk0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

. 昼の散歩風景。 #建築 #建築デザイン #建築設計事務所 #スタッフ募集 #北海道長崎県人会 #北海道 #札幌 #hokkaido #sapporo #architects #architecture #architecturedesign #recruit #散歩 #正月 #獅子舞 #人形町 #shishimai #liondance #ningyocho https://www.instagram.com/p/CnPNDmnpoZa/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Winter Holidays in Japan: Christmas and New Year’s

My winter break has just about ended, meaning I’ve been through my first major holiday season in Japan. Winter holidays in Japan look different than they do in the US. While everything in the US tends to center around Christmas, New Year’s is the big focus in Japan. There’s also a big difference in the way they celebrate Christmas and New Year’s, as they’re more family-oriented with less parties, but there are still plenty of ways to celebrate.

Christmas is a much smaller affair in Japan than in the US. Though they do sell decorations and food, there’s not 24 hour Christmas music and stores overrun by Christmas-themed everything. In fact, only a few kids in my classes said they’d ever participated in any Christmas traditions beyond gift-giving and our winter break didn’t really start until after Christmas. However, there may still be Christmas events if you know where to look. Some places set up Christmas markets where you can buy all kinds of things. We had a small one in Niigata where they sold warm foods and drinks from little cabins surrounding a Christmas tree for a few weeks up until Christmas. 

Japan is also found of illuminations, with lots of places putting up lights for the winter. In Niigata, they had a sort of illumination ceremony on December 2nd when they lit up the lights on the trees around the station for the first time. Plus, there’s always the option to try the KFC Christmas dinners if you can get ahold of that.

When it comes to winter holidays in Japan, New Year’s is much more important. Winter break in Japan is centered around New Year’s since New Year’s Eve and the few days after are more important to have off. However, most people in Japan consider New Year’s to be a family holiday, spending the night at home with relatives. Still, there are some things to do. I spent New Year’s in Tokyo where there are typically countdown events like the Shibuya Crossing countdown (though that was canceled this year due to covid). There are also areas like Nichome in Shinjuku which had some lively parties. Additionally, temples and shrines draw big crowds on New Year’s Eve, especially since trains in some areas run later that night. Some will hold small events to welcome the new year, so people can pray right after midnight. I went to Hanazono Shrine for New Year’s Eve, and they had a small musical performance at midnight, some snacks, and lines of people waiting to do their first prayer. The performance even included a dance by a person in a lion costume, meant to bring good luck, which you could approach later to be nibbled on (more good luck, I guess).

For New Year’s Day, the major tradition is hatsumode. Hatsumode (literally, first shrine visit) is your first visit to a shrine for the new year. While some people, especially younger crowds, like to stay out and do their hatsumode right after midnight, many go during the day. There are even some who stay up to watch the first sunrise before doing their hatsumode. This year, since I was in Tokyo, I went with some friends to Meiji Jingu, which is one of the most popular–if not the most popular–shrines for hatsumode. Despite warnings about big crowds and long waits, it ended up not being too bad. I don’t know if it was covid, the time we went (around 10:30), or exaggerated experiences, but what we had expected to be hours of waiting turned out to maybe an hour at most.  Afterward, we were let out into a section selling fortunes and charms (for everything from good health to good luck on exams), follow by line of food stands. I got a general good luck charm and one to ward off evil spirits, then picked up a fortune and some food.

While it might be harder to find the events you’re used to during the winter holidays in Japan, it’s still possible to have lots of fun. Nothing’s quite going to be the same as in the US or your own home country, but Japan does have ways of celebrating Christmas and the New Year. The main thing to remember is that these holidays are what you make of them, so you might need to do some searching and be open to different holiday experiences.

Sources:

https://insaitama.com/shishimai-lion-dance-at-new-years-kawagoe/ (for more on shishimai AKA the lion dance)

「どうしたんだい、凛火？」

Shishimai (獅子舞) from Kaibou Zukan (2022) by Osaka-based electronic producer Takahiro Kinoshita aka 99Letters, based around the sampling and processing of traditional Gagaku Japanese instruments. The sounds of koto and shakuhachi are transformed through spatial effects and noise to create beguiling ambient drones and out-and-out dancefloor bangers. The title Kaibou Zukan translates as “picture book” and it serves as a kind of audio diary of the artist during lockdown, trapped at home and thinking about their place within their home country, landscape, and culture.

her outfits are sooo good...

In progress…

Traditional Dances -29

Japan- Kagawa 猫獅子 shishimai

Fatal Twelve visual novel 5th Anniversary artwork of Shishimai Rinka from it’s developer's Twitter.

オレね　すみませんですけど

おまつり　おしし　ニガテなのよ

タイコ　やなのよ

I'm terribly sorry but I don't like Japanese festival shishimai (the lion dance) and Japanese drums...