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

A Year of the Tiger display at the Landmark, Central, Hong Kong

Kung Hei Fat Choi

China

Albert Wen

How to photograph an eclipse: don't look at it directly...

Eclipsed in Hong Kong

China

Albert Wen

The Tokyo district of Rygoku is home of one of Japan's most famous Sumo wrestling facilities. Sumo wrestlers train very strenuously for their six annual basho tournaments, and must consume up to 10,000 calories a day to achieve and maintain their enormous stature. When they're not in training however, they can be seen strolling the city sidewalks wearing blue and white cotton robes called yukata.

Photo of the Day Archive for December 2003

Japan

Albert Wen

Riding the Eastern & Oriental Express

Malaysia / Singapore / Thailand

Albert Wen

More Vietnam Stories

Farmer in Northern Vietnam

Do You Know How Vietnamese People Cultivate Wet Rice?

Vietnam

Ha pham

Hoa Ban Flower Tree at Dien Bien Phu

MASKED. A Coronavirus Journey

Vietnam

Thien Ho

Happy Lunar New Year! Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

Vietnam

ThingsAsian

Sign

A Journey to Dien Bien Phu

Vietnam

Michael McKittrick

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