Kura-no-Tsuji

Ancient time warehouse (1603-1868), Edo Era period this area use as a stopping point for transporting supplies between the Kansai and Hokuriku. Now, the warehouses are maintained in the district activation program at Takefu, Fukui prefecture in Japan.

Mizumi Dengaku and Noh Dances.

Mizumi Dengaku and Noh Dances. End of the winter and before the beginning spring season Mizumi, Ikeda villagers wear traditional costume and mask performing nine-dance series. According that nine-dance series, performers wish to happiness and wealth for villager and success their next harvest term. This dance series also one of the entertainment of villagers.

These performances held in "Ukann" shrine locate around the mountain chain and front of the shrine Mizumi River has flow down. Also most part of mountain chain covered by snow and river’s water is freezing. Before starting the performance three performers get down the river and bathing freezing water, who is dressing for god during the nine-dance series.


About 750 years ago, during the Emperor Houjou Tokiyori period people of Mizumi village performed "Dengaku" (rice-plantin) dance to entertain the emperor when who was visit the village. Emperor stays there while the roads were impossible due to a heavy snowfall. In return, Tokiyori taught them how to perform Noh dances.

This was the beginning of the juxtaposition of the dengaku and Noh dance traditions. Since that generation to generation Mizumi Dengaku and Noh dance perform every year 15th February in the Mizumi.

Winter sport Ski in Japan

Misogi (禊) and Fundoshi (,ふんどし)

Misogi (禊), Freezing cold-water bathing themselves and cleaning body and soul while winter season festival calling Misogi. Men and women wearing traditional dress of white and attend to freezing cold-water bathing festival and who trust that cold-water make a strength of body and soul.

Freezing cold-water bathing time men wearing traditional dress is so interesting and it’s so similar to Sri Lankan paddy-farmers cultivating time wearing dress Sri Lankan people calling that dress "Amudaya" but Japan’s call that "Fundoshi"(ふんどし). Fundoshi`s Japanese men’s under pan some years ago.

Kobe mark 15th anniversary of Hanshin Earthquake

“Never forget this experience forever”、That line wrote in the people’s sign board at park in Chuo Ward by one of person expression to who’s emotion and remember to victim of the 15^th years ago “Great Hanshin Earthquake” in western port city of Kobe in Japan.

Thousand people gather Kobe and neighboring cities commemorated 15 anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake on 17^th Sunday 2010. People offered silent prayers and light thousands of bamboo lanterns for died 6,434 people by earthquake.

Coming of age ceremonies (成人式 seijin-shiki)

Coming of Age Day, many women and men who will be 20 years old this year attend a special ceremony all over the country their home village and celebrate with their same age friends. All of wearing traditional and colourful costume and present the "Seijin Shiki" ceremony.Second week of the Monday in January is a day of 20 years old ceremony. A person who is 20 years old is an adult legally in Japan attend this day ceremony. Local media report according to the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, about 1.27 million people turned 20 years old in 2009 and new adults number les than 1.3 million.

Every city organizes this ceremony for the people who live in the city and celebrates them. Mayor or some people usually give a speech for them in the ceremony. After the ceremony, the young adults often celebrate in groups by going to parties or going out drinking.

Japanese New Year 2010.

Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.

Japanese people walk to ring the bronze bell and remove their evil passions of there life in Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.


Japanese girl rings the bronze bell and remove their evil passions of there life in Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.



Buddhist monk prays in Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.





A man reads his fortune (Omikuji) written on strips of paper at shrine in Fukui, Japan January 1,2010.

A child walks with her parents to shrine in Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010.