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tradition

Seiwa Bunrakumura – traditional puppet theatre

Kyushu’s only traditional puppet theatre If you are interested in Japanese traditional arts you are sure to find a visit to the Seiwa Bunraku traditional puppet theatre in Yamato Town fascinating. What is Bunraku? Bunraku is the name given to Japan’s traditional puppet theatre which has a history dating back over 300 years.  Also known […]

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Unique Hassaku Festival creations of Yamato town

Hassaku Festival creations If you are interested in art and traditional crafts in Japan then while you are in Kyushu definitely make time to visit Yamato town to see the Hassaku Festival creations. These amazing objects, made entirely of natural materials, are created each year and paraded through town during the Hassaku Festival. Once the

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Noyaki – 野焼 Aso’s Grassland Burning

Noyaki – the burning of the grasslands If you visit the Aso area in late February or March you might be surprised to find the lush green grasslands you saw in all the photos scorched and blackened. Don’t worry a war has not broken out it’s only the yearly Noyaki. Noyaki season Noyaki takes place from mid

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Yamaga Lantern Museum 山鹿灯籠民芸館

The Yamaga Lantern Craft Museum,  灯籠民芸館, introduces the history and culture of the traditional craft of paper lantern making. This rare and extraodinarily delicate paperwork has been passed down since ancient times and is unique to the Yamaga area. The museum is situated in the old bank just a couple of minutes walk down the

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Yamaga Lantern Festival

Yamaga Lantern Dance Festival – Yamaga Toro Matsuri 山鹿吐露祭 in Japanese, is held on the evenings of August 15th and 16th in the city of Yamaga every year. The highlight is the One Thousand Lantern Dance when hundreds of women, dressed in simple white summer yukata and red obi sashes dance elegantly through the night wearing beautifully crafted paper illuminated

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The Kumamoto Traditional Crafts Center

SItuated within an easy walk of the castle, the Kumamoto Traditional Crafts Center (Kumamoto Kougeikan) celebrates and promotes Kumamoto’s unique range of traditional crafts. The crafts you can see range from intricately designed black and gold pieces of Higo inlay to modern and traditional glassware and pottery, traditional toys, razor sharp cooking knives, washi paper, tatami placemats, indigo died

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Aso shrine fire festival

Hifuri-Shinji Festival

Blazing torches light the sky and in the darkness a multitude of flaming reed straw ropes are swung around in an exciting spectacle to welcome the kami of Aso Shrine. The dramatic Hifuri-shinji  festival takes place in mid March in the grounds of  Aso Shrine.  The holy ritual has been designated as one of Japan’s Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. This ancient  ritual’s

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