皆さん、「酉の市」に足を運んだことはありますか？
先日の高尾山での紅葉狩りに続き、
「日本語集中講座 SWU Intensive Japanese Language Program」第一期生は「酉の市」に出かけました。
参加者のひとり、バレリアさんが感想を寄せてくれました。
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This week, I had a chance to go to a traditional Japanese Festival “ Tori-no-Ichi” in Shinjuku with my friends and staff from Showa Women’s University.
Tori-no-Ichi is a festival held at shrines and temples nationwide on certain days in November to pray for good luck and business prosperity. Out of all shrines which hold this festival, the Otori-jinja close to Asakusa is the most famous one for Tori-no-Ichi fair, but similar events take place around 30 other shrines in Tokyo just like the one we went to in Shinjuku known as Hanazono-jinja.
The festivity continues until midnight as gorgeous “kumade” rakes decorated in gold and silver are sold by lively venders in the shrine fair. I saw people buying “kumade” and praying for good luck and prosperity in business, and as my Japanese friends explained to me, every year people are supposed to buy a bigger one than the previous one.
It was the first time experience to see Japan’s “traditions” and compare it to “traditions” in my home country.
Before going to this event I knew about Japanese Matsuri (festivals) from watching TV programs about Japan or reading articles in the travel guide books. This time I had an opportunity to experience it firsthand and I can say that I’ve never had so much fun!
And the fact that I was able to go there together with my Japanese friends and friends from the Japanese Language program made the experience even more memorable.
