CELEBRACIONES
The Sapporo Snow Festival is held for about a week every year in
February and many people from all over Japan visit Sapporo during this
time. It exhibits huge ice sculptures that include famous places around the
world, as well as movies and manga.
BODA
raditional weddings are made under the Shinto religion, that is, the native
religion of Japan, therefore ceremonies are made in the shrines chapels
At the wedding the bride wears a white kimono called Shiromuku which
represents purity. He also covers his head with a white cap called Tsuno
Kakushi which is traditionally used to hide the “horns of jealousy” of the
bride, and also to symbolize faithfulness and commitment.
On the other hand, the groom wears a formal black kimono called Montsuki
(which is usually decorated with his family emblem. He also wears tabi
stockings, traditional footwear and a fan.
In the religious ceremony go only the close relatives of the bride and groom,
and it usually lasts a maximum of about 30 minutes.
During the beginning of the ceremony the bride and groom exchange their
rings and read their wedding vows. Then comes the most important
moment, when they drink sake (Japanese liquor) in three bowls called
sakazuki}
The ritual of drinking sake is called "San san kudo". They do this to seal their
union with the gods. They have to drink it for three times and in three sips at
a time, since in Asia odd numbers are considered fortune, and number three
symbolizes heaven, earth and human beings.
When this ritual of the ceremony ends, the priest uses a sacred rod called
Ōnusa to bless the bride and groom
When the ritual ends, all the relatives present drink sake as a way to send
good wishes to the couple, and the priest closes the ceremony with a few
words.
Once the religious ceremony is over, the bride and groom prepare for the
Hirou did not lead a Western-style celebration that takes place in a room
where all their family and friends go. At that time the bride and groom
change their traditional clothes for the western one and share a great
banquet with the guests.
Cumpleaños
In Japan, it is currently celebrated in the western style, with a cake and
candle, ornaments and gifts. But traditionally it says that they prepared
traditional food like sekihan that are mochi rice cooked with red beans and
fish
Año nuevo
There is a more spiritual way to celebrate New Year's Eve, although it is a bit cold. It is
about approaching a temple, along with many other people, to listen to the jewel no
kane the more than one hundred New Year's Eve bells. The bells symbolize the end of
the year and the beginning of the next. Each one of them represents the different
desires that humans have throughout our lives. A visit to a temple or sanctuary also
brings us the possibility of celebrating the hatsumōde) very early. The hatsumōde is
the first visit of the year to a temple or shrine.
On New Year's Day the home is filled with nostalgic laughter and is impregnated with
the aroma of fish stock. While the elders drink, the younger ones entertain themselves
by playing sugoroku. They all drink amazake, an alcohol-free sake made from rice, to
quench the stomach until the food is served. There are dishes that are only served on
New Year's Day and, in fact, this typical New Year's menu has its own name: osechi
ryōr
Saludo
La inclinación
This bow is called "o-jigi" in Japanese.
It must be done with a straight back, then you have to bend from the waist, without curving the
waist, making an angle approximately 15º, the look is accompanied by this greeting, you must look
at the floor while this greeting is being made.
When you are going to greet someone from Japan, a slight inclination of the body and head should
be done, the older the person we are going to greet is, the greater the inclination must be.
One thing we should never forget is that these two greetings should not be mixed, that is,
they cannot be done at the same time, but they can be shaken while reverence is made.
Vestimenta
The traditional Japanese dress is the kimono, which was the garment worn until the first years of
the postwar period, it consists of a comfortable long robe that covers the body to the ankles with
wide sleeves, fastened at the waist by a wide girdle of cloth, called obi, which is tied at the back with
a bow; In addition, the cut, the type of fabric and its decorations change according to sex, age, time
of year, and even the occasion.
The Japanese between 20 and 30 years, in addition to wearing their usual attire when they are away
from home, those who work in offices have to wear a more formal dress, because as we mentioned
in previous entries, the presence is very important in the work, so these have to be completely fixed.
The most common outfits are the skirt, blouse and jacket sets together with some heels, but although
this is usually the most used by all Japanese, there are also those who wear dress pants or who even
dare to wear some type of flat shoes
Comida
Japanese cuisine has a great tradition recognized and appreciated
worldwide. The main ingredients are rice, seafood, noodles, nabe,
soybeans and yoshoku cooking
ONE OF THE TYPICAL DISHES ARE
Udon
Yakitori
Sukiyaki
Tonkatsu
SUSHI
Curiosidades
The population of Japan is one of the oldest in the world, thanks to its quality of life and
fundamentally to its healthy diet. Women live an average of 86 years and men of 79 years.
If we are having dinner or having a drink in a cafeteria, do not even think about leaving a tip
because for them it is a sign of rudeness.
In Japan it is common for companies to pay workers the price of public transport from home to
the company.
