Now it's time for a collection of beautiful pictorial maps of Japan. Let's start with festivals.

Yuko, who sent this card (and many others to my project) has found not only a beautiful stamp with the flag of Japan, but also a stamp featuring one of the festival — Gion Matsuri in Kyoto. This festival of Yasaka Shrine is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. First held in 869 as a religious ceremony during the outbreak of an epidemic, nowadays it takes place over the entire month of July, with the spectacular grand procession of floats (Yamaboko Junko) on 17th and 24th of July. There are two types of floats used in the processions, yama and hoko, and the second type can be especially impressive, up to 25 meters tall, with weight up to 12 tons.

Another festival that caught my eye is the Aomori Nebuta Festival. It is held from August 2nd till 7th, and it attracts millions of visitors. As Yuko mentioned, all festivals are always crowded, but that's not surprising, since they are usually so spectacular.

Aomori Nebuta Festival features a parade of colorful lantern floats called nebuta. They are constructed of wooden bases and metal frames. Japanese washi papers are then put onto the frames and they are finished off with the historical figures or kabuki painted on the paper. It can take up to a year to finish such nebuta floats! Amazing!

To read more about other festivals, visit this website. Thank you so much Yuko!

Festivals of Japan

postcard sent

28.03.2015

distance travelled

~8910km

sent from

Kyoto