Golden Week in Japan 2016

Golden Week starts today, April 29 in Japan with Showa Day (昭和の日). What is Golden Week? It is basically a collection of four national holidays closely grouped together in the space of seven days from late April to early May. This year in 2016 Golden Week is based on two separate holiday periods from April 29 to May 1 and from May 3 to May 5.

Golden Week and this time in Japan is a celebration of spring with a lot of festivals and historical events taking place all over the country.

The Four National Holidays of Golden Week 

1. Showa Day (April 29) 

The first national holiday of Golden Week is Showa no Hi (昭和の日) or Showa Day, which is the birthday of the former Showa Emperor. It is a day to honour the birthday of the late emperor, as well as to remember the hard work and effort of the Japanese people in rebuilding their country during the turbulent Showa Era (1926 – 1989).

2. Constitution Memorial Day (May 3) 

The second national holiday of Golden Week is Kenpou Kinenbi (憲法記念日) or Constitution Memorial Day. It is a day to commemorate the new Japanese constitution, which was put into effect on May 3, 1947.

3. Greenery Day (May 4) 

The third national holiday of Golden Week is Midori no Hi (みどりの日) or Greenery Day. It is a day to show appreciation for the environment and nature. It is the perfect time to head outdoors and enjoy the beautiful spring weather and fresh green leaves of the season.

4. Children’s Day (May 5) 

The last national holiday of Golden Week is Kodomo no Hi (こどもの日) or Children’s Day on May 5. It is a day for children in general, but is primarily for boys, as girls have their own day called Hina Matsuri on March 3. Children’s Day is a day to celebrate boys and to pray for their healthy growth. It’s a Japanese tradition for families with boys to celebrate this day by raising carp streamers (koinobori) outside their houses around this holiday. Carp are believed to symbolize successes in children’s lives. The black carp of koinobori represent the father, the red carp for the mother, and blue, green, purple or orange for the subsequent children.

Golden Week is one of the busiest travel periods in Japan with most tourist destinations extremely crowded and fully booked out. Airports and train stations are usually overflowing with people during this time and it can be very hard to get reservations for accommodation and transportation during Golding Week without booking months in advance. Many Japanese offices close for about a week to 10 days, depending on the calendar with many workers taking a vacation, traveling abroad or to a popular tourist destination in Japan.

The travel peak is anticipated for around April 29 this year with the return rush around May 8.

If you are not traveling, there are numerous local festivals and events for the whole family to enjoy around Japan.

What are your plans for Golden Week in Japan? Please leave your reply in the comments below.

Colonel Sanders dressed for Kodomo no Hi

2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes in Japan

Over the past week Kumamoto in the Kyushu region of Japan has suffered a series of devastating earthquakes. The first earthquake occurred at around 9:26 pm on April 14, 2016 around Mount Kinpu to the north north-west of Kumamoto City. The first earthquake was a foreshock measuring M6.5, with the worst damage occurring in the town of Mashiki, 15km east of Kumamoto. 

More than 140 aftershocks were registered within two days of the foreshock with 11 aftershocks of at least M4.5 and one of M6.0.

The mainshock occurred at 1:25 am on April 16, 2016 beneath Kumamoto City in Higashi Ward. The M7.3 quake has caused significant additional damage to the areas already affected by the initial foreshock several days earlier.

This is the worst humanitarian challenge Japan has faced since the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. As of today (Thursday, April 21), there have been 48 confirmed deaths with thousands affected by the disaster. New reports have being saying that around 10,000 people are staying in their cars in Mashiki Town, while there are 180,000 evacuees seeking shelter.

There has also been 11 indirect deaths in Kumamoto related to the disaster. Quite a few people have been dying from the so-called "economy class syndrome" (Deep Vein Thrombosis) caused by sitting too long in cramped conditions in recuse shelters and from sleeping in cars.

Image Source

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has mobilized personnel of the Japan Self Defense Forces to assist local authorities with search and rescue recovery efforts. Japan is struggling to cope with the disaster with relief efforts stretched to the limit.

Nearly a week after the first quake struck, aftershocks continue with nearly 700 aftershocks hitting Kyushu since April 14. To further add to the disaster, heavy rain and wind is predicted the next few days with the possibility of landslides causing even more problems.

You can find news and updates about the Kumamoto Earthquakes on the Japan national Tourism Organisation website.

If you are interested in helping out and supporting the people and areas affected by the earthquakes, Yahoo Japan has set up emergency fund raising for the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. They will donate an equal amount to your donation (up to 20 million yen per donation). You can find more information on their website in both English and Japanese http://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/1630023/

Kodomo no Hi Japan Festival 2016

JAFA’s Kodomo no Hi Japan Festival is the biggest Japan festival in Adelaide, South Australia. The festival organised by the JAFA (Japan Australia Friendship Association) has been running for over 20 years now. It's great to see Japanese culture so prevalent overseas and festivals like this promoting Japanese culture. If you are a fan of Japanese culture and live in the Adelaide area make sure to mark it down on your events calendar.

The festival is a lot of fun and is filled with Japan-related performances, exhibitions, activities, stalls and plenty of delicious Japanese food.

Some of the many attractions you can see at the festival include: 

• Martial Arts Demonstrations (Judo, Kendo, Aikido, Iaijutsu) 
• Taiko Drumming 
• Japanese Folk Dance 
• Traditional Japanese Folk Songs 
• Origami 
• Calligraphy 
• Ikebana (Flower Arranging) 
• Tea Ceremony 
• Bonsai Tree Displays 
• Japanese Pottery 

The event has won a number of prestigious community awards including:

• 2013 WINNER - The City of West Torrens Community Event of the Year Award
• 2013 WINNER - The Australia Day Council of South Australia Community Event of the Year Award

Come along for a fun day for the whole family at this unique community event.

Event Information 

What: Kodomo no Hi Japan Festival
When: Sunday, 1st May 2016 11 am to 4 pm
Where: Cowandilla Primary School
Address: 21 Jenkins St, Cowandilla, SA, Australia
Cost: $2 per person, $5 per family
Access: Free parking is available
Other: Come in a Japanese costume to add to the fun of the festival

Volunteers, stallholders, performers and display holders are needed. Please visit the website below to apply or to find out more about the festival.

http://jafa.asn.au/index.php/kodomo-no-hi-japan-festival

Here are some pictures from last year's event.

Japanese festival yukata

Japanese festival atmosphere and fun

Popular Japanese festival food Takoyaki

Martial Arts Demonstration

Japanese Taiko Drumming

Traditional Japanese Costume

Google Map