Hanami Festival

Hanami Festival When: When: SPRINGSPRING, around April, around Aprillate March to early April late March to early April (early May on Hokkaido)(early May on Hokkaido)approximately 2 - 3 weeksapproximately 2 - 3 weeks

HanamiHanami means “flower means “flower viewing”viewing”

Japanese traditional custom Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of of enjoying the beauty of flowers, usually meaning flowers, usually meaning sakurasakura (cherry blossoms) or (cherry blossoms) or sometimes sometimes umeume (peach) (peach)

Hanami Festival SakuraSakura

national flower of Japannational flower of Japandefines all that is vulnerable defines all that is vulnerable about being humanabout being human

Sakura seasonSakura seasonreminds us that life is reminds us that life is fleeting and time is preciousfleeting and time is preciousTime to reflectTime to reflectcherry blossom cycle is seen cherry blossom cycle is seen as a metaphor for lifeas a metaphor for life

Hanami Festival started during the Nara started during the Nara

Period (710–784) Period (710–784)

Origin: Origin: ChinaChinamembers of the royal court members of the royal court would admire the beauty of would admire the beauty of blossoming flowers each blossoming flowers each springspring

Japan adopted it, but focused Japan adopted it, but focused more on its short life spanmore on its short life span

Hanami Festival Sakura was used to divine Sakura was used to divine that year's harvest as well as that year's harvest as well as an announcer of the rice-an announcer of the rice-planting seasonplanting season

Offerings (sake, festivals and Offerings (sake, festivals and poems) were made to the poems) were made to the sakura tree's rootssakura tree's roots

Originally practiced by the Originally practiced by the Imperial courtImperial court

sakura was even adopted as sakura was even adopted as a symbol of samurai life a symbol of samurai life

Hanami Festival celebrate with family, co-celebrate with family, co-

workers and friendsworkers and friends

most popular locations are most popular locations are parks, castles, temples, and parks, castles, temples, and shrinesshrines

People stroll or have a picnic People stroll or have a picnic under the sakura treesunder the sakura trees

special sakura mochi for the special sakura mochi for the cherry blossom festivalcherry blossom festival

Hanami Festival

Hanami Festival

Hanami Festival

Hanami Festival

Hanami Festival

Hanami Festival

Hanami Festival

Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

When: When: SUMMER, July 7SUMMER, July 7 (seventh night of (seventh night of the seventh moon)the seventh moon)

Tanabata Festival = Tanabata Festival = Star FestivalStar Festival or or Festival of the Star-Crossed LoversFestival of the Star-Crossed Lovers

according to a Chinese legend, the two according to a Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the milky separated from each other by the milky way, are able to meetway, are able to meet

Popular customPopular custom: write one's wishes on a : write one's wishes on a piece of paper, and hang that piece of paper piece of paper, and hang that piece of paper on a specially erected bamboo tree, in the on a specially erected bamboo tree, in the hope that the wishes become truehope that the wishes become true

huge parades with floats, dancers and lots huge parades with floats, dancers and lots of fireworks.of fireworks.

lots of stands for food and games, usually lots of stands for food and games, usually set up at local shrinesset up at local shrines

Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) and Hiratsuka Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) and Hiratsuka (Kanagawa Prefecture) are particularly (Kanagawa Prefecture) are particularly famous for their elaborate Tanabata displaysfamous for their elaborate Tanabata displays Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Festival

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http://www.astronomy.pomona.edu/archeo/Otherhttp://www.astronomy.pomona.edu/archeo/Other%20student%20web%20sites/Anne%20Gibson%%20student%20web%20sites/Anne%20Gibson%20web%20project%201999/Tanabata%20Festival20web%20project%201999/Tanabata%20Festival.htm.htm

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2283.htmlhttp://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2283.htmlhttp://www.2camels.com/tanabata-festival.phphttp://www.2camels.com/tanabata-festival.phphttp://web-japan.org/atlas/festivals/festi_fr.htmlhttp://web-japan.org/atlas/festivals/festi_fr.html

http://www.2camels.com/cherry-blossom-festival.phttp://www.2camels.com/cherry-blossom-festival.phphphttp://www.tokyotopia.com/japanese-cherry-blosshttp://www.tokyotopia.com/japanese-cherry-blossom.htmlom.htmlhttp://www.tokyotopia.com/cherry-blossom-festivalhttp://www.tokyotopia.com/cherry-blossom-festival.html.htmlhttp://japan-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/hanamhttp://japan-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/hanamii

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