Holy men

Hiyoshi Matsuri

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September 5th 2004
Hi, Last night was the big Hiyoshi Village Festival (as big as a village of less than 3,000 can hold). I was asked to take part in the dancing and parade festivities. There are these really long, thin logs from some sort of pine tree that are carried down the street. But they just can't be simply carried...like everything in Japanese society, there is a certain and proper way to do it. The ... read more

Asia » Japan

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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