御歳暮 おせいぼOseibo Right around the same time that we in the West start Christmas shopping for friends, family, and co-workers, Japan is also getting into Santa-mode. Only, it’s not for Christmas. You…
Category: HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS
Otsukimi: Japan’s Mid-Fall Harvest Moon Festival
What Is Otsukimi? September is almost gone. The sun’s beams are a little gentler, the wind is crisper, and nights are cooler. At least here in Japan, after a particularly…
Obon Midsummer Festival
What Is Obon? Bon (盆), or Obon (お盆) is a midsummer festival not unlike Mexico’s Day of the Dead. According to Buddhist belief, ancestors’ spirits are believed to come back…
Tanabata–the Festival of Stars
What Is Tanabata? (Published July 2020, updated July 2021) Tanabata (七夕), literally meaning “seven evenings,” is the Festival of Stars in Japan. This is a celebration of the once-a-year reunion…