Skip to main content

ThingsAsian | ThingsAsian Press


ThingsAsianThingsAsian
  • Destinations
    • Afghanistan (24)
    • Armenia (3)
    • Azerbaijan (3)
    • Bangladesh (22)
    • Bhutan (30)
    • Brunei (20)
    • Cambodia (132)
    • China (548)
    • East Timor (6)
    • India (260)
    • Indochina (9)
    • Indonesia (126)
    • Iran (36)
    • Iraq (32)
    • Israel (27)
    • Japan (332)
    • Jordan (4)
    • Kazakhstan (4)
    • Korea, N (23)
    • Korea, S (67)
    • Kuwait (3)
    • Laos (70)
    • Lebanon (7)
    • Malaysia (250)
    • Maldives (3)
    • Mekong River (12)
    • Mongolia (21)
    • Mount Everest (4)
    • Myanmar (70)
    • Nepal (57)
    • Pakistan (48)
    • Philippines (164)
    • Saudi Arabia (16)
    • Singapore (89)
    • Sri Lanka (26)
    • Syria (18)
    • Taiwan (68)
    • Thailand (399)
    • Turkey (31)
    • United Arab Emirates (4)
    • Uzbekistan (6)
    • Vietnam (508)
    • Yemen (16)


  • Destinations
    • Afghanistan (24)
    • Armenia (3)
    • Azerbaijan (3)
    • Bangladesh (22)
    • Bhutan (30)
    • Brunei (20)
    • Cambodia (132)
    • China (548)
    • East Timor (6)
    • India (260)
    • Indochina (9)
    • Indonesia (126)
    • Iran (36)
    • Iraq (32)
    • Israel (27)
    • Japan (332)
    • Jordan (4)
    • Kazakhstan (4)
    • Korea, N (23)
    • Korea, S (67)
    • Kuwait (3)
    • Laos (70)
    • Lebanon (7)
    • Malaysia (250)
    • Maldives (3)
    • Mekong River (12)
    • Mongolia (21)
    • Mount Everest (4)
    • Myanmar (70)
    • Nepal (57)
    • Pakistan (48)
    • Philippines (164)
    • Saudi Arabia (16)
    • Singapore (89)
    • Sri Lanka (26)
    • Syria (18)
    • Taiwan (68)
    • Thailand (399)
    • Turkey (31)
    • United Arab Emirates (4)
    • Uzbekistan (6)
    • Vietnam (508)
    • Yemen (16)


Search form


A Child's Life - Japan


by Robert George, Dec 18, 2002 | Destinations: Japan / Tokyo
In Japan, children are treated with the utmost care and attention. The literacy rate in Japan ranks among the world's highest, and the infant mortality rate is among the lowest. Despite its population density and astronomical cost of living, Japan provides excellent 'quality of life' for its children.

In Japan, children are treated with the utmost care and attention. The literacy rate in Japan ranks among the world's highest, and the infant mortality rate is among the lowest. Despite its population density and astronomical cost of living, Japan provides excellent 'quality of life' for its children.

Image © 2002 Robert George
In Japan, children are treated with the utmost care and attention. The literacy rate in Japan ranks among the world's highest, and the infant mortality rate is among the lowest. Despite its population density and astronomical cost of living, Japan provides excellent 'quality of life' for its children.
One of Japan's most honored traditions is the Omikoshi Matsuri, the annual Shinto festival. Nearly every Shinto shrine in Japan holds a mikoshi parade, in which a miniature replica of the shrine containing an image of the honored deity is transported through the surrounding streets on the shoulders of local patrons.
One of Japan's most honored traditions is the Omikoshi Matsuri, the annual Shinto festival. Nearly every Shinto shrine in Japan holds a mikoshi parade, in which a miniature replica of the shrine containing an image of the honored deity is transported through the surrounding streets on the shoulders of local patrons. Depicted here is a youthful version of a traditional mikoshi parade.
Uniforms seem to offer the people of Japan a sense of purpose and belonging. School children, public servants, and even the majority of private business employees all wear them with pride.

A story told with photos.


More From This Author

Every year on November 15, Japan celebrates Shichi-Go-San--Children's Day. Dressed in their very finest garments, girls and boys aged three, boys aged five, and girls aged seven, go with their families to nearby shrines, where they line up, sometimes for hours, to await their turn to be blessed by the presiding priest. After the blessing, the child is presented with a gift of long sticks of candy called chitose-ame, "thousand year sweets," wrapped in ornate bags decorated with cranes and turtles, both symbols of longevity.

Kimono

Japan
Robert George
In contemporary Japan, urban architecture is an eclectic juxtaposition of old-world traditional, post-war Bauhaus, and ultra-modern futuristic styles. And sometimes--it's a combination of all three!

High Rise Japan

Japan
Robert George
Preparing a field. Dalat, Vietnam.

Dalat

Vietnam
Robert George
The water is coldGive me strength to endure itAs I purge myselfOn the second Sunday of the New Year, wearing nothing more than loincloths called shitaobi and headbands called hachimaki, many Japanese men brave the icy waters of Teppozu Inari Jinja, a Shinto shrine in central Tokyo, to practice a yearly purification ritual.

Japanese Expressions II

Japan
Robert George<br>Haiku by Celeste Heiter

More Japan Stories

Hadaka Matsuri Getting Naked...In Japan...In January

Japan
Celeste Heiter
Sakurajima Volcano

Sakurajima Volvano

Japan
Jan Polatschek
Cherry Blossoms

Film Review: Cherry Blossoms

Japan
Celeste Heiter

20 things in Tokyo

Japan
Bebe

Explore Other Destinations

China

China

Myanmar

Myanmar

Vietnam

Vietnam

India

India

Malaysia

Malaysia

Japan

Japan

Cambodia

Cambodia

Thailand

Thailand

Afghanistan (24)
Armenia (3)
Azerbaijan (3)
Bangladesh (22)
Bhutan (30)
Brunei (20)
Cambodia (132)
China (548)
East Timor (6)
India (260)
Indochina (9)
Indonesia (126)
Iran (36)
Iraq (32)
Israel (27)
Japan (332)
Jordan (4)
Kazakhstan (4)
Korea, N (23)
Korea, S (67)
Kuwait (3)
Laos (70)
Lebanon (7)
Malaysia (250)
Maldives (3)
Mekong River (12)
Mongolia (21)
Mount Everest (4)
Myanmar (70)
Nepal (57)
Pakistan (48)
Philippines (164)
Saudi Arabia (16)
Singapore (89)
Sri Lanka (26)
Syria (18)
Taiwan (68)
Thailand (399)
Turkey (31)
United Arab Emirates (4)
Uzbekistan (6)
Vietnam (508)
Yemen (16)



About ThingsAsian

ThingsAsian is an Asia travel website with stories contributed by a worldwide community. Although we cover a wide range of topics, our emphasis is on art, culture, history and travel. Our writers, photographers and contributors are real people who tell you the stories of their personal travels and experiences. Some of the countries we currently cover are Burma, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Email: info@thingsasian.com


© 1994-2015 Global Directions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Web Design by Dayspring