Festival Faces

I found this little princess in the staging area of the Festival of the Ages in Kyoto. Waiting for the parade to begin, she was passing time playing with a praying mantis.

Village Elders

These men are the village elders in the Kanda Festival in Tokyo. This festival was started by the Shogun 400 years ago when he moved the government from Kyoto to Tokyo.

View from the Top

This little guy got all dressed up in his finest festival outfit for the Kanda Festival in Tokyo. He had the best view at the event from his father's shoulders.

Preparing for the Parade

These young ladies are waiting for the parade to begin in the Awa Dance Festival.

Little Dancers

All ages participate in the Awa Dance Festival in Tokushima. The children in the district are taught the steps to the dance as soon as they can walk.

Kuriyama Horse Festival

The Horse Festival in Kuriyama on the southern island of Kyushu has been celebrated for a few hundred years. The young girl here is with her grandfather and his horse.

Flower Festival

The Flower Festival is held each year in the temples around Japan on April 8th to celebrate Buddha's birthday.

Spring Festival

This little girl got all made up to participate in the parade for the Spring Festival in Nikko.

Sisters

These sisters are in a parade in a local festival in Tokyo. The one on the right is holding a hand drum.

Children's Kabuki

A big night festival is held every year in Chichibu, which is a few hours north of Tokyo. As part of the celebration, the local children put on traditional Kabuki plays.

Three Five Seven Festival

A celebration for children three, five and seven years of age is held at shrines all over Japan in the autumn. The children are outfitted for this in the finest traditional dress. You would think it difficult to dress up a little boy like this and get him to smile. The trick is that the bag he is holding contains candy, and that is probably what makes him happy.