Aki Matsuri

Festival season in Kansai!

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November 10th 2008
Ikeda City Aki (autumn) Matsuri (festival), a couple of weeks ago, was one of the best experiences of this whole trip. Simply seeing it would have been enough, but we were lucky enough to be involved in all of the rituals, and treated like special guests in being welcomed into the shrine and given a private performance from the temple girls. Just increadible. Jidai Matsuri in Kyoto with Mari an ... read more

Asia » Japan » Osaka » Osaka

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In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more