Japan - Golden Week
Due to a coincidental chain of Japanese national holidays, the name "Golden Week" was given to one of Japan's longest and busiest holidays. Golden Week starts with Midori no Hi (Greenery Day) on April 29th and ends with Kodomo no Hi (Children's Day) on May 5th. Other holidays in between are Kenpou Kinen bi (Constitution Memorial Day) on May 3rd and occasionally Kokumin no Kyujitsu (People's Day) on May 4th, and May Day on May 5th. The word "Golden Week" was first used by movie companies as a media hook to get people to watch more movies. Excluding Oshoogatsu and summer vacation, Golden Week is the longest holiday of the year. Most companies and schools often allow additional days off in order for Golden Week to become a full week of holidays. Golden Week is an ideal time for the Japanese to travel because of the line of holidays and the pleasant weather. Thus, popular sites and transportation facilities are especially crowded during this time. Midori no Hi marks the beginning of Golden Week on April 29th and originated during the reign of Hirohito, also called Emperor Shoowa (Shouwa Tennou). Showa, meaning "Time of Enlightened Peace" was Emperor Hirohito's title and is commonly associated with the perio
There are several possible origins of the holiday known as Tango no Sekku. One possible origin has been traced down to "Sechie", an ancient rural Chinese custom in which the royal guards were attired in ceremonial battle garments and accessories. This practice became popular in Japan during the reign of Empress Regnant Suiko (593-629 A.D.). Another possibility from which this celebration stemmed from is the legend of Tokimune Hojo's victory over Mongols on May 5th, 1282. Consequently, flags and banners were erected by samurai families to celebrate the victory. One legend depicts the battle between farmers and crop-destroying insects, in which the farmers used bright banners and primitive versions of the scarecrow to scare them off. Representing warriors and then evolving into mere decorative figures mainly kept indoors, the appearance of the mushia-ningyo evolved into the gogatsu-ningyo. Chimaki (a sweet rice dumpling wrapped in iris or bamboo leaves) and kashiwa mochi (a rice cake containing bean paste wrapped in an oak leaf) are traditionally prepared for this day and also symbolize strength. Shobu, the Japanese iris, has always been associated with Tango no Sekku because its long narrow leaf somewhat resembles the shape of a sword. The sound of the word shobu, although written in different characters, resembles the word for striving for success. On Kodomo no Hi, it is a custom for the Japanese to steep the leaves of the shobu in hot water in order to enjoy the fragrance of the Shobu-yu (iris hot-bath) and also because of the belief that the iris holds medicinal powers to ward off illnesses. Sake with finely chopped shobu leaves mixed in it is prepared. In ancient times, the leaves of the shobu was also believed to have some kind of power to extinguish fire. Accordingly, people still observe the tradition of placing shobu leaves in the attic of their houses as a talisman to ward off possible fire breakouts and evil spirits.<
Some common words found in the essay are:
Kodomo Hi, Midori Hi, Golden Week, Meiji Constitution, Tokimune Hojo's, Tango Sekku, Festival Families, Emperor Hirohito, Constitution Japan, Emperor Hirohito's, golden week, kodomo hi, midori hi, symbolize strength, national holiday, april 29th, tango sekku, kenpou kinen, kenpou kinen bi, kinen bi, bi constitution memorial, memorial day, holidays golden week, constitution memorial day, kodomo hi children's,
Approximate Word count = 1318
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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