Hatsumode is the practice of the first religious worship of the year. It is typically associated with the first visit to a shrine, but some people prefer to worship at a temple. The temple at the Ushiku big Buddha, known […]

Each month in Gyoda City dozens of locations participate in a floral water font "hanachozu" event by displaying hanachozu at their premises. The event is called hanachozu week, but you can actually see the floral fonts for two weeks each […]

Kanasana Shrine is a 1900-year-old shrine in Saitama. It is a unique shrine in that it venerates the mountain rather than a religious artifact like most other shrines. The shrine is located in the mountain town of Kamikawa in Saitama […]

A daruma doll is a hollow wooden round-shaped face with a beard. Most commonly they are red in color. When bought new, they have no eyes painted in. You paint one eye on receiving or buying the doll while making […]