Photo of the Day Archive for August 2006

by Albert Wen, Nov 15, 2006 | Destinations: Vietnam

A small basket boat on the river at Hoi An.

A small basket boat on the river at Hoi An.

Image © 2001 Global Directions, Inc.

A small basket boat on the river at Hoi An.

The New Year is Japan's most important celebration. At this time, the people of Japan visit shrines and temples to pray for blessings in the year to come. Families gather to enjoy specially prepared foods called O-sechi, and to exchange seasonal gifts. One traditional New Year's gift is a symbolic arrow to ward off bad fortune in the coming year.

On 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.

The New Year is Japan's most important celebration. At this time, the people of Japan visit shrines and temples to pray for blessings in the year to come. Families gather to enjoy specially prepared foods called O-sechi, and to exchange seasonal gifts. One traditional New Year's gift is a symbolic arrow to ward off bad fortune in the coming year.

Photo of the Day Archive for August 2006

More From This Author

Nepali herder making breakfast chapatis along the Sali Khola, Nepal.

Photo of the Day Archive for November 2005

Nepal

Albert Wen

Turtle Mountain Island, located 10 kilometers off the coast of Toucheng in Yilan County, Taiwan, looks like a turtle floating in the sea, hence its name. The island has high cliffs, steaming fumaroles, welling underwater hot springs, mountain peaks, sea-eroded caves, a lake, and unique cliff vegetation, as well as a rich marine ecology. Since the Ching Dynasty, Turtle Mountain Island has been famous for its runrises. The best place to watch this spectacular sunrise is from Toucheng Beach or the mouth of the Lanyang River, between April and September.

Photo of the Day Archive for October 2006

Vietnam

Albert Wen

Starbucks, Senado Square, Macau.

Photo of the Day Archive for May 2004

China

Albert Wen

If you have the time and energy, a bicycle is a great way for getting around the temples of Angkor.

Photo of the Day Archive for March 2005

Cambodia

Albert Wen

More Vietnam Stories

Sign

A Journey to Dien Bien Phu

Vietnam

Michael McKittrick

ThingsAsian icon

Ho Chi Minh in Ba Dinh Square

Vietnam

Michael McKittrick

Hoa Ban Flower Tree at Dien Bien Phu

MASKED. A Coronavirus Journey

Vietnam

Thien Ho

Farmer in Northern Vietnam

Do You Know How Vietnamese People Cultivate Wet Rice?

Vietnam

Ha pham

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