Journal Set 1 ( Multi-media Entry)

Awa odori

Here is video about the largest dance festival in Japan, Awa Dancing Festival (Awa Odori). It is held annually on the last Saturday and Sunday of August as part of the Obon festival (Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors) in Tokushima Prefecture.
The festival features a total of 100,000 dancers. People dance in groups called ren. Ren usually contain around 50 people, sometime ren contains nearly than 200 people. I think Awa Odori is very vivid and cheery festival. People are dancing with their friends in harmonious groups. I really want to visit Awa odori, to feel this united atmosphere and take pleasure in dancing with another people.
Here are some details about Awa Odori.
Song: song of Awa Odori, known as the Awa Yoshikono, goes like this:

 Odoru ahou ni                    (The dancers are fools)
Miru ahou                          (The watchers are fools)
Onaji ahou nara                  (Both are fools alike so)
Odorana son, son               (Why not dance?)
Dance: During the daytime a refined dance called Nagashi (Flowing) is performed, but at night  ren (dance groups) dances rabid dance called Zomeki (Aloud).
Men and women dance differently. The women’s steps are airy and  congruous, while the men’s more buoyant and  frantic. Children and adolescents of both sexes dance the men's dance.
Clothing: The female dancers wear yukata (summer kimono), gehta (wooden sandals) and the most specific part of all the festival, semi-circular hats called amigasa. The men and children wear happi, shorts and split-toed tabi socks.

Women wearing amigasa, yukata and gehta.

Girls wearing happi and  tabi.

Journal Set 1

Japanese Festivals
Nothing can attract me more than  cultures and traditions of different countries. I have been interested in  East Asian cultures since I was 12 years old. The culture of these countries seemed to me so interesting and mysterious.  I am mostly familiar with Japanese culture, for I am obsessed with that country. One of the most interesting and  catching part of Japanese culture are festivals. That is why, now i am going to show show  my favorite Japanese festivals.
1) Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki-matsuri)

Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japan's largest and most specific winter events. Yuki-matsuri, which means Snow Festival, celebrates everything about winter and its temporal medium.
It started in 1950 and held annually during one week in February. History of festival started when students built a snow statues in Odori Park. With the lapse of time it developed into a  large, festal event. Every February more than two million visitors from Japan and across the world visit  to see   transformation of silent city Sapporo into the magical snow kingdom full of building and sculptures made of snow. Sapporo snow festival divided into three festival sites: Odori Park with its snow giants, the detailed crystal sculptures at the Suskino Ice Festival and the ice slides and kid-friendly playground of Tsu Dome. 

Tsu Dome.

Suskino Ice Festival. 

2) Japan's winter lights festival 

Japan's winter lights festival runs from mid-November to March 31 at the Nabano No Sato botanical garden in Kuwana, Japan.  Nabano no Sato botanical garden sprouted by  millions LED lights every winter. Flower-shaped lights create gorgeous scenes, such as Mount Fuji  and a rainbow across the sky. Here are some pictures, I am sure you will be surprised by glory of this festival.

Tunnel of Light  made up of 1.2 million light bulbs arranged in flower shapes.

100-meter-long Cherry Kawazu tunnel.

3) Tanabata Matsuri

This festival held at various days between July and August.
Tanabata Matsuri or The Star Festival originated from a folk legend about two stars (Orihime and Hikoboshi) who were lovers. They could meet only once a year on the 7th night of the 7th month. Tanabata matsuri celebrates meeting of  Orihime and Hikoboshi. People generally celebrate this day by writing wishes on small pieces of paper, called tanzaku, and attaching them on bamboo, which are often set afloat on a river or burned after the festival. 

Tanzaku.

Tanabata Matsuri in Hiratsuka.

These were my favorite Japanese festivals. I  wish I could introduce  Japanese festivals and give general image of how they held. Thanks  for  attention. ^____^