Holidays and Events in November and December

Q. これは なんですか。

(photo: http://www.studio-alice.co.jp/aniversa/index.html)

A. これは 七五三（しちごさん）です。
七五三（しちごさん Shichi-go-san)(seven-five-three)
Shichi-Go-San is a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three and seven year-old girls and three and five year-old boys, held annually on November 15.

November 
- 文化の日（ぶんかのひ）Culture Day (November 3) 
- 学園祭（がくえんさい）School Festivals (Early in the month)
- もみじ祭り（もみじまつり）Momiji Festivals (Middle of the month)
- 酉の市（とりのいち）Tori no Ichi (The Festival of the Rooster) (The days of the rooster )
- 七五三（しちごさん）Shichi-go-san (November 15)
- 勤労感謝の日（きんろうかんしゃ の ひ）Labor Thanksgiving Day (November 23)

December
- 笑い講（わらいこう）Laughing Your Way to Heaven (Waraiko) (The first Sunday)
- 年賀状を書く（ねんがじょう を かく）Writing Nengajo (Middle of the month)
- 羽子板市（はごいたいち）Hagoita Market (December 17-19)
- 天皇誕生日（てんのうたんじょうび）Emperor's Birthday (December 23)
- クリスマス（くりすます）Christmas day (December 24-25)
- 餅つき（もちつき）Mochi-tsuki (Late in the month)
- なまはげ祭り（なまはげまつり）The Monsters of the Oga Peninsula (December 31)
- 年越し（としこし）Ushering in the New Year (December 31)
Japanese New Year

(from: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/)
(from: http://www.wikipedia.org/)
(from: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2062.html)

Holidays and Events in September and October

Q. これは なんですか。

(Shonan Advertising Inc.)

A. これは 流鏑馬（やぶさめ）です。

流鏑馬（やぶさめ Yabusame）(archery on horseback) 
The riders with traditional samurai clothing charge down the road letting off three arrows at targets.

You can also watch this documentary.  This is interesting!!  If you have time, please watch this!
http://vimeo.com/8611471

September
- 防災訓練（ぼうさいくんれん）Disaster Prevention Day (September 1) 
- 二百十日（にひゃくとおか）Nihyaku Toka (Early in September)
- 敬老の日（けいろうのひ）Respect-for-the-Aged Day (Third Monday)
- 中秋の名月（ちゅうしゅうの めいげつ）Autumnal Moonlight Viewing (Middle of September)
- 鶴岡八幡宮の流鏑馬（つるがおかはちまんぐう の やぶさめ）Yabusame at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine (Middle of September)
- 秋分の日（しゅうぶん の ひ）Autumnal Equinox Day (September 23 or 24)

October
- 長崎くんち（ながさきくんち）Nagasaki Kunchi (October 7-9)
- 体育の日（たいいくのひ）Sports Day (Second Monday)
- 時代祭り（じだいまつり）Jidai Matsuri (in Kyoto) (October 22)
- 食欲の秋（しょくよく の あき）Autumn Appetite
- 紅葉の秋（こうよう の あき） Autumn Foliage  (Late in the month)

(from: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/)

Holidays and Events in July and August

きのうは たなばた でした！（It was "Tanabata, the star festival," in Japan yesterday.）

Q. たなばたは なんですか。（What is Tanabata?）
A. July 7th is "Tanabata", the Star Festival in Japan. It is derived from a legend where Orihime (Star Vega) and Hikoboshi (Star Altair) are lovers separated by the Milky Way and are only allowed to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month. People write their wishes on narrow strips of colored paper (tanzaku) and hang them with other decorations on bamboo branches. It is a fun celebration, especially for kids. Some of their wishes are cute to read.
(from: http://japanese.about.com/od/namikosbloglessons/a/Tanabata-The-Star-Festival.htm)




July
- 山開き（やまびらき）Opening of Climbing Season on Mt. Fuji (July 1) 
- 七夕（たなばた）Tanabata (July 7)
- 祇園祭（ぎおん まつり）Gion Festival (July 1-28)
- 海の日（うみのひ）Marine Day (Third Monday)
- 夏休み（なつやすみ）Start of Summer Vacation (Late in the month)

August
- 終戦の日（しゅうせんのひ）Anniversaries of End of World War II (August 15)
- ねぶた祭り（ねぶたまつり）Nebuta Festival (in Aomori) (August 2-7)
- 阿波踊り（あわおどり）Awa Odori (in Tokushima) (august 12-15)
- お盆（おぼん）Bon Holidays (Middle of the month )
- 花火（はなび）Fireworks Displays (Late in the month)

(from: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/)

Holidays and Events in May and June

きょうは こどものひ です！（Today is Children's day.）
これは なんですか。（What is this?）


こたえ: これは こいのぼり です。(Click "こいのぼり" for the detail)
Answer: This is Koinobori.


from: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/

May
- ゴールデンウィーク　"Golden Week" (April 29-May 5)    
- 八十八夜（はちじゅうはちや）Hachiju-Hachiya (May 2 or 3)
- 憲法記念日（けんぽうきねんび）Constitution Memorial Day (May 3)
- 博多どんたく（はかたどんたく）Dontaku Festival (in Hakata) (May 3-4)
- みどりの日（みどりのひ）Greenery Day (May 4)
- 子どもの日（こどものひ）Children's Day (May 5)
- 母の日（ははのひ）Mother's Day (Second Sunday)
- 葵祭（あおいまつり）Aoi Festival (in Kyoto) (May 15)
- 三社祭（さんじゃまつり）Sanja Festival (in Tokyo) (Third Weekend)

June
- Ayu Season (June 1)
- 父の日（ちちのひ）Father's Day (Third Sunday)
- 梅雨（つゆ）Rainy Season (Early June to mid-July)
- 山王祭（さんのうまつり）Sanno Festival (in Tokyo) (June 13-15)

Holidays and Events in March and April

For your information;
from: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/

March
- ひなまつり   Hina Matsuri (March 3)
- ホワイトデー   White Day (March 14)
- 春分の日（しゅんぶんのひ）   Vernal Equinox Day
- 卒業式（そつぎょうしき）   Graduation Ceremony
- 春の高校野球（はるのこうこうやきゅう）   Spring High-School Baseball Tournament
- アニメ フェスティバル   Animation Festivals
- 春休み（はるやすみ）   Spring Vacation

April
- 学期始め（がっきはじめ）   Start of the School Year (April 1)
- 灌仏会（かんぶつえ）   Kambutsu-e (the Buddha's Birthday Festival) (April 8)
- プロ野球（やきゅう）   Pro Baseball
- お花見（おはなみ）   Hanami (Cherry-Blossom Viewing)
- 始業式（しぎょうしき）   School Entrance Ceremony (second week of April)
- 部活動（ぶかつどう）   Club Activities (late April)
- ゴールデンウィーク   "Golden Week" (April 29-May 5)
- 昭和の日（しょうわのひ）   Showa Day (April 29)