Decorations for coming new-year

Christmas holiday has passed quickly. New year holiday, that is one of the most important events through the year for Japanese. Unlike western people, Japanese put more importance on new-year event rather than Christmas.

1.Kadomatsu

The first two photos are Kadomatsu, which is talisman against evil. Kadomatsu is usually set at gate of huge buildings or entrance of mansion. It is said that Kadomatsu protects houses or buildings from evils entering and welcomes only luck or happiness. Robust bamboos are set at center and pine leaves surround bamboo. Both bamboo and pine tree are assumed auspicious plants. Due to its strength, vitality and vigor power, bamboo is considered as the symbol of good fortune. For evergreen needle-leaved tree, pine is considered as the ever-lasting prosperity. 
The orange at the center is the seasonal fruit. Orange color attaches the cheerful looks and attracts the audiences.

2. A pair of Kadomatsu

3. New-year decoration

Not only Kadomatsu, but other figurine is 

also decorated at entrance of buildings. 

Third photo includes various figurines

representing the prosperity, wealth and

happiness. 

This decoration is put at the entrance of 

commercial facility. The combination of 

red and white colors show the celebration 

and happiness, bales of rice means bountiful harvests in coming new-year.  

The fourth photo is small decoration put on the entrance of common citizen’s houses. The straw rope is a miniature of a sacred straw rope decorated at entrance of shrines, that protects house from evils entering to house. Colorful strings put on straw ropes represent the happiness and celebrations.

4. Decorations for common houses

Setting these auspicious decorations, Japanese ready to welcome luck and happiness of coming new-year 2015.

Are you interested in unique Japanese culture?
If so, please enjoy our  free walking tours!

by A.C

Christmas time has come !!

Christmas time has just come around the corner. What is your plan for Christmas this year? In Japan, gorgeous illumination are decorated everywhere in town.

Those colorful and brilliant lights cheer people up  as well as remind us that it is ending of this year. 

Even Shintoism is the dominant religion, most Japanese feel joy for Christmas. Appreciating gorgeous illumination, eating delicious Christmas cake and giving Christmas present to family etc., are just formality of Japanese-style Christmas. 

After enjoying Japanese-style Christmas time, Japanese start preparing New Years ceremony.

Are you interested in unique Japanese culture? if so, please enjoy our  free walking tours!

by A.C

Universal Design Conference 2014 in Koto City

Fukushima prefecture’s exhibition booth

The 5th International Conference for Universal Design in Fukushima & Tokyo 2014 was held on 11-13 November hosted by International Association for Universal Design (IAUD) and co-hosted by Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Fukushima Prefecture and Koto City. 

The conference theme was “Glocalized Development for Universal Design—Towards Tokyo 2020. Universal Design in Fukushima & Tokyo 2014 was held on 11-13 November hosted by international Association for Universal Design (IAUD) and co-hosted by Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Fukushima Prefecture and Koto City. 

The conference theme was “Glocalized Development for Universal Design—Towards Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games—“

Along with the symposium including keynote lectures, UD-related activities were introduced at exhibition booths by  government agencies, municipal governments, companies such as Toyota Motor Corporation and Fujitsu etc. at Tokyo International Exchange Center, Koto city.

Staffs from Fukushima prefectural government and

 KEV at Fukushima prefecture’s booth

Kibitan, Yuru-chara (an anime-style cartoon mascot)
 for Fukushima prefecture

KEV helped Fukushima prefecture’s booth as an interpreter. By working together with staffs from Fukushima, KEV members could learn a lot about the disasters and present situations in Fukushima prefecture caused by the big earthquake on March 11^th, 2011. It is expected that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games will create a lot of great things. Throughout this process we would be happy to do anything we can especially in Koto City and increase KEV’s activities in the future.

Kibo-no-Kakehashi

「第5回国際ユニヴァーサルデザイン会議 2014 in 福島＆東京」が、2014年11月11日から13日まで、江東区の東京国際交流館で開催されました（東京会場）。主催は（財）国際ユニヴァーサルデザイン協議会（IAUD）、共催は東京都、福島県、江東区。会議テーマは、「ユニヴァーサルデザインのグローカル展開 〜東京2020オリンピック・パラリンピックへ向けて〜」。

東京会場では、シンポジウムや基調講演と共に、官公庁、自治体、企業が展示ブースを設け、ユニヴェーサルデザイン関連の活動を紹介しました。江東区英語ボランティアガイド協会（KEV）も通訳として、福島県の展示ブースのお手伝いをしました。お手伝いを通して、東日本大震災の時の様子や福島の現状について、福島県庁の職員の方たちから直接お話を聞けたのは大きな収穫でした。東京2020オリンピック・パラリンピックには大きな期待が寄せられています。私たちも特に江東区内でのオリンピック関連でのお手伝いはもちろん、今後もKEVの活動の場を広げていきたいと思っています。　

These chopsticks called Kibo-no-Kakehashi, “ a bridge to the future” ( “hashi”  in Japanese is a homophone for “chopsticks” and “bridge”) 

“These are chopsticks made from timbers produced from thinning cedars in Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture, which were extensively affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Part of sales will be donated to disaster-affected areas.”

by N.T and Y.N