Summer events in Japan

日本の夏

I am going to introduce very common things of summer in Japan today.

Obon

It is Obon season now. A lot of Japanese are on the Obon vacation and making trips or visiting their parents' houses. Obon is an annual Buddhist tradition for commemorating one's ancestors and we believe that our ancestors' spirits come back to our homes during this term. We also visit ancestors' braves. Obon is generally celebrated around Aug 15th.
Obon has another side. Japanese companies are on vacation at this season. Huge amount of Japanese people rush into sightseeing spots. Most highways are pretty busy. On the other hand, we have less rush hours when we commune.

Summer festival

We have a lot of local festivals everywhere in Japan and we generally call them "Summer festival"(Natsu matsuri). I saw a festival held in my neighborhood last week.
Main event of summer festival is that people carry around Mikoshi in their community. Mikoshi is kind of portable shrine. The spirit of a deity temporarily reposes in it.

Mikoshi is portable shriine.

Bon-odori

Odori means to dance and Bon-odori is for celebrating Obon. There are various explanation about the origin but it is performed in summer festival events cross over Japan.

Where to get Omiyage in Patan ~NEPAL GANESHA

パタンでお土産探ししよう　～　ネパールガネーシャ

What to pick as omiyage puzzles Japanese workers

When we take day off to make a trip somewhere, what to buy as omiyage(souvenirs) to your colleagues is a big issue puzzling Japanese workers.
In deed it is common to hand over omiyage at workplace when we return from vacation. We need pick appropriate things as souvenirs.

Since we need to get more than five souvenirs, if we take something wrong, we would get in trouble with paying much or carrying heavy things. We generally have more than five colleagues, right? And souvenirs should be same. And if we pick each different things to each colleagues, we need them almost at same price. If we give something gorgeous to one colleague and tiny things to other colleagues, someone would complain about it behind you.

What to pick up for souvenirs in Nepal?

When I visit Nepal, of course I try to find such thing for souvenirs to colleagues. However I could not find any snacks or cookies are not individually packed.
 I would suggest one of the best shop where you get souvenirs. It is NEPAL GANESHA which is located near Patan Durbar square.  They have staff who is able to speak English.

Juli-san who runs NEPAL GANESHA in Patan

well-skilled to carry heavy luggage without any tools.

荷物運び術

As I wrote about hard workers and how to carry luggage in Nepal, I really frequently see many people carrying heavy luggage very hard. They are well-skilled to carry heavy and huge luggage. It is kind of overwhelming.

on head

They were able to keep their balance very well while they were walking without holding by hands. I am worried about their neck-pain....

ladies also do

Even ladies are struggling with carrying a heavy luggage.

luggage seems to be heavy

I guess they are carrying something for selling.

kindness

Even a little boy is helping his mum with carrying a big luggage for him.

以前、働き者のネパールの方とか、荷物の運び方について書きましたが、本当によく重い荷物を一生懸命運んでいる人を見かけます。皆さん本当に高いスキルを持っております。圧倒されるくらい。

頭で

このおじさんたちは、手も使わず、すごい良いバランスを保ったまま、歩いていました。首痛くならないか心配だ。。

女性も運びます

女性も頑張って重い荷物を運びます。

重そうだ

何か売り物なんでしょうね。

優しさです

小さな男の子も、お母さんの荷物を持ってあげています。

dog and cow say "i don't care...."

わたしは気にしない

When I walk around in Kathmandu, I see many saying "ah... I don't care."

They are quite generous and brave with the high self-esteem. Even someone are upsetting besides them, they don't care....

They are totally relaxed among guys. This is on a footbridge.　Another one is showing dogs laying down in the middle of road. Even if a motorbike passes by them, they  don't care it.

Next... this is sleeping under a statue in front of a shrine. Heeey this place is a holly place....! But he may sleep anywhere and anytime when he wants to sleep.

I saw another one dog sleeping under a bicycle. It seems that it is not good place to sleep...

　

 Cows are also like them. They don't mind where they are sleeping and walking. Or... they perhaps think themselves as a person?

Patan one year and three months after the quake

パタンダルバール広場　地震から1年3ヶ月

Complex of temples

Patan Durbar Square is a 17th century royal palace complex filled with temples and monuments. Since this World Heritage site was badly damaged by the quake on April 25th, 2015, one year and three months has past. I went back there to learn the post-quake reconstruction work under way. It has a lot of fences surrounding temples I wanted to see them closer actually.

Vishwanath Mandir

Hence a lot of travelers were walking there and you can enjoy seeing them.

Preservation

I am concerned about way to preserve. If I have world heritage sites are situated in my neighborhood, I will ride a bike there to see it sometimes. But will I park my bike in 　the site ? No...!
But here you will see many mortar bikes parked in front of monuments and temple.

 Nepali people don't mind such things seemingly. They are kind of generous??

Krishna Mandir

This Mogul-influenced Krishna Mandir survived the quake are standing still there. Even... people are relaxed and sitting on there....

Krishna Mandir

寺院が並ぶ

パタンのダルバール広場は寺院やモニュメントであふれた17世紀の王宮コンプレックスです。この世界遺産が2015年４月25日の地震で激しく傷ついてから、１年と3ヶ月経ちました。 そこを再び訪れると、まだ再建の最中でした。寺院はフェンスに囲まれてます。 もう少し近づいて見たかったな。
とはいえ、沢山の旅行者がいっぱい。観光を楽しめます。

保存

ただ保存方法が心配だ・・もし近所に世界遺産があったら、そう、自転車で見に行ったりするかもしれない。でも自転車をその中に止めるかなあ？ いやー止めないなあ。
でもここでは止められたるのです。ネパールの人、気にしてなさそう。寛容っていうのかな？

クリシュナ寺院

地震の影響を受けなかったモンゴルの影響を受けたクリシュナ寺院も、そこに静かに立っています。みんな座っちゃってたりするけど。