NEWSWORTHY
Namahage demon festival of northern Japan grapples with blessing and curse of UNESCO listing
As a child, Tatsuo Sato was terrified when the Namahage demons roared into his house every year, but in adulthood he mourned as the centuries-old tradition faded away. "The kids disappeared, the young people disappeared. We had to give it up," Sato, 78, said of ...
Coming-of-age ceremonies in areas of Japan devastated by last year's disasters hold extra poignancy
Those who were born in 1998 and became 20 years old in the last year number 1.25 million — about half of the national record of 2.46 million set in 1970.
More than 70 percent of youths and young adults prefer to celebrate their coming-of-age at 20, even though the age of legal adulthood in Japan will be lowered to 18 in April 2022, according to a recent online survey by a Japanese think tank. The ...
The death of a Japanese countryside festival
Ancient rites bend to an aging, shrinking population, but how much longer can local traditions hold out?
Halloween in Japan: Make up, dress up — and hook up?
Halloween has become one of the coolest days on the calendar, and it's less about sweets for kids than it is an occasion for grown-ups to deck themselves out in costumes for all-night reveling.
Firecrackers and reluctant authorities: New Delhi's smog set to worsen during Diwali
With a toxic smog beginning to envelop New Delhi as winter approaches, residents of the Indian capital are set to make matters a lot worse by burning hundreds of thousands of firecrackers to celebrate the Hindu festival of Diwali early next month. India, which has ...
200-year-old Mie puppet's neck on the line as whaling ban makes crucial part scarce
Onyudo is a giant kimono-clad, long-necked puppet that has been preserved by residents of the Nakanaya area of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, for more than 200 years. The puppet, regarded as a symbol of Yokkaichi, appears on a float in the annual Grand Yokkaichi Festival, showing ...
Japan's traditional festivals struggling with financial difficulties
Traditional festivals are having a more difficult time securing financing for their events these days. In the city of Tokushima, famed for its traditional Awa Odori folk dance festival, attendance hit a record low this year, partly due to confusion over financing. And similar stories ...
South Korea approved a rare screening of North Korean movies at a local film festival on Tuesday, as a diplomatic thaw gains pace following two landmark summits between their leaders. The two countries technically remain in conflict after the 1950-53 Korean War ended without a ...
Filipino Catholics honor John the Baptist at annual 'mud people' festival
More than a thousand Filipinos at a Catholic festival on Sunday slathered their bodies in mud to show devotion and humility. The annual tradition forms part of a joyous religious festival honoring a saint whom they believed saved residents from execution by Japanese soldiers during ...
Over 9,000 people gather at Britain's ancient Stonehenge to greet longest day of the year
Wrapped in jackets and blankets, thousands of people gathered at Britain's Stonehenge for the summer solstice, watching the sun rise over the Neolithic monument and welcoming the longest day of the year. Revellers of all ages, including druids and pagans performing rituals, clapped and cheered ...
Compared to other imported festivals, Easter in Japan has never really taken off. But why?
