Interesting Japanese Customs Galleries

Japanese Toys : Pictures of interesting Japanese toys.  Some of them are ones that Kevin has made from paper models!  Some of them are his toys from his Power Rangers and Kamen Rider collections.  Others are just some stuff I took pictures of at the toy store.

Japanese Toys

Pictures of interesting Japanese toys. Some of them are ones that Kev ...

Updated: Jan 18, 2007 7:39am PST

2007 Turning Twenty Ceremony : When Japanese kids turn 20, their town has a ceremony welcoming them into adulthood.  They dress up in kimono (most of them) or hakama (men's kimono) and listen to speeches from the Mayor, and various officials about becoming adults.  They also get a cash prize (ranging somewhere from $500 to $3000 USD according to rumor).  And then they all go out and drink and party afterwards.  Most of them haven't seen eachother since Junior High (since Japanese High School is not required, and is competitive, they all split up for High School), so it turns into a kind of 5 year reunion!  Anyway, the costumes are cool.  And the 2007 20 year ceremony was for the young adults that were BORN the FIRST YEAR I CAME TO MIHARU!  WOW!   How's that for the circle of life!

2007 Turning Twenty Ceremony

When Japanese kids turn 20, their town has a ceremony welcoming them i ...

Updated: Jan 18, 2007 7:37am PST

1000 Buddhas : This guy in Funehiki had a stroke about 15 years ago, and now he paints for physical therapy.  He can't use his right arm anymore at all, so he paints with his left arm.  At first he painted the usual scenery shots, but now he paints Buddhas and Buddhist saints and Shinto religious images.  WOW!  I caught his show at a small temple in Funehiki by accident one day while I was visiting a friend.  It was SOOOOOO cool!  The man has also painted and donated all the ceiling panels at the temple near his home!  Wish you could have been there!

1000 Buddhas

This guy in Funehiki had a stroke about 15 years ago, and now he paint ...

Updated: Dec 29, 2006 10:54pm PST

what do we eat in japan :

what do we eat in japan

Updated: Dec 28, 2007 6:49am PST

Japanese Foods :

Japanese Foods

Updated: Jul 31, 2007 5:15am PST

Misc Interesting Customs : Pictures I want to share of interesting Japanese customs that may not be familiar to people from other countries.  Well, of course, many of the diretories in this online album are about interesting Japanese customs (like Kevin's School in Japan), but these are things that don't fit in other categories, or that I especially want to highlight.

Misc Interesting Customs

Pictures I want to share of interesting Japanese customs that may not ...

Updated: Dec 28, 2007 7:23am PST

Hina Dolls - Dolls Festival Japan : Hina Dolls are displayed in March for Girl's Festival.  These dolls were displayed by my friend Mrs. Yokoyama.  They are lovely, aren't they?

Hina Dolls - Dolls Festival Japan

Hina Dolls are displayed in March for Girl's Festival. These dolls we ...

Updated: Jul 31, 2007 5:28am PST

Buddha's Birthday Parade 2002 : In May, Japanese celebrate the birthday of OShakusama (Buddha).  In our local community, the largest Buddhist Temple, Fukujuji, holds a costume parade for small children.  The children dress is old Japanese court robes and march with a white elephant (that represents the Buddha) through the town.  They are soooo cute.

Buddha's Birthday Parade 2002

In May, Japanese celebrate the birthday of OShakusama (Buddha). In ou ...

Updated: Oct 10, 2004 7:34am PST