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Anti-nuclear activist carries
sunflower at a demonstration of mark to first time in 42 years that the Japan’s
electricity supply has not been derived energy from nuclear reactors at
Minami-Hotie Park on May 5 2012 Osaka, Japan. Japan's last-operating nuclear plant at Tomari village was
shut down on May 5. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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A child
caries plant of tulips walk through the full bloom tulip field at Tanto Tulip
Festival on May 1, 2012 in Toyooka, Japan. Hundreds of thousands of tulips in three
hundred varieties are grown in designs and patterns for the festival. (Photo by
Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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| People row a boat under cherry blossoms at Sakuranomiya Park on April 9, 2012 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| A sand replica titled 'British Literature William Shakespeare ' at Sand Museum located in the Tottori Dune on April 1, 2012 in Tottori, Japan. The 5th exhibition hosted by the world's first ever sand museum is focusing on the theme of 'Great Britain' as the nation celebrates it's hosting of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The exhibition is open to the public from April 14 through January, 2013 with fourteen foreign sculptors creating structures based on British themes such as the British Empire, Modern London and landmarks of London. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| A 19-year-old Japanese macaque monkey named Monday scratches her eyes while suffering an allergy to pollen from the cedar tree, at Awajishima Monkey Center on March 26, 2012 in Sumoto, Hyogo, Japan. Some twenty monkeys are suffering the effects of hay fever at this time of the year, with the typical symptoms being the same as with humans. Japanese government had plant cedar tree nationwide after the World War II for restore the nation’s forest. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| Children perform in a traditional Kabuki during the Nanko-Kabuki Festival at an outdoor Kabuki theater on March 25, 2012 in Sayo, Japan. Elementary and junior high school students from three children's Kabuki clubs performed three old Kabuki dramas to mark the repair of the Nanko-Kabuki outdoor theater,115 years after the traditional theater was built in 1841. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| Police officers stand guard during a demonstration against the use of nuclear power on the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2012 in Osaka, Japan. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami left 15,848 dead and 3,305 missing according to Japan's National Police Agency. Thousands of people still remain homeless and live in temporary dwellings. The Japanese government faces an uphill battle with the need to dispose of rubble and work toward economic recovery. Across the country people are taking part in ceremonies to pay respects to the people who lost their lives. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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A general view of Mihama nuclear power
station No 1 reactor (R), No 2 reactor (C) and No 3 reactor (L) which is run by
Kansai Electric Power Co, on March 8, 2012 in Mihama, Japan. Only two of
Japan's 54 nuclear reactors are online 12 months after last year's March 11
earthquake and tsunami. Many of the reactors have been stopped for regular
maintenance during which official stress tests are being conducted. (Photo by
Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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Sumo wrestlers attend a morning practice
session in preparation for the Grand Sumo Tournament at Yamasaka Shrine on
March 3, 2012 in Osaka, Japan. The Osaka Grand Sumo Spring Tournament, known as
the 'Rough Spring Tournament' will commence on March 11, until its conclusion
on March 25 at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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University students attend a job fair hosted by Works Japan Inc at
Sangyo Kaikan on February 19, 2012 in Kyoto, Japan. About 30 leading
international Japanese companies take a part in job fair and over
thousand international students attend special seminars and lectures of
job opportunities. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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| Japanese men wear loincloths as they splash about in freezing cold water during Saidaiji Naked Festival, at Saidaiji Temple on February 18, 2012 in Okayama, Japan. Saidaiji Naked Festival (Hadaka Matsuri) is one of Japan's more eccentric festivals and take a place each year in the winter. About 9,000 men take part and battle to grab for pair of lucky sticks thrown by priests. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| A woman walks past a decorated storefront window on February 12, 2012 in Kobe, Japan. Shops are putting out candy and other traditional gifts for the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday on February 14. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| A man prays before walking across burning logs during the Oni Oi annual festival at Zuiganji Temple on February 11 in Himeji, Japan. Performers dressed as demons take part in the Oni Oi ceremonies at the Buddhist temple in the hope of bringing peace and fruitful harvests. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| Japanese macaque monkeys huddle together to protect themselves against the cold weather at Awajishima Monkey Center on February 10, 2012 in Sumoto, Hyogo, Japan. Severe winter weather has hit Japan with more heavy snow forecast today. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| People pray for the victims of the Kobe Great Earthquake during a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake on January 17, 2012 in Kobe, Japan. People gathered early this morning to pay their respects and light bamboo lanterns in the park for more than 6,000 people who lost their lives in the 7.3 magnitude earthquake. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| 20-year-old Japanese women dressed in traditional kimonos pose for a picture during the Coming of Age Day at Cultural Hall on January 9, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. The event involves 20-year-old Japanese people celebrating their eligibility to drink alcohol, smoke and vote. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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A family flies kites during the 38th National Kyte-Flying Contest at
Himeji Park Horserace Course on January 8, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Kite
flying is a typical New Year seasonal activity in Japan. Many local people and kite fans arrived to watch about
800 kites of 80 varieties fly from across Japan take a part in the annual kite
flying contest. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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| A Japanese Shinto priestess, Miko (shrine maidens) performs purification dance during the new year blessing at Sosha Shrine on January 1, 2012. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| A dragon water sculpture is displayed at the Gokogo Shrine on December 29, 2011 in Himeji, Japan. Japanese zodiac years are commonly associated with the twelve animals Mouse, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig and this coming year will be the year of the Dragon. Japan celebrates their New Year on January 1 of each year, following the Gregorian calendar. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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People make rice cakes, Mochi for
celebrations of the forthcoming Year of the Dragon at Zuiganji temple on
December 28, 2011 in Himeji, Japan. The Japanese calendar is divided into
twelve parts and is commonly associated with the twelve animals, the Rat, Ox,
Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and the Pig.
Sticky rice cakes, or mochi, as the
Japanese call them, are made by pounding the steam rice. Mochi is a traditional
food and decoration which make for Japanese New Year. Kagami Mochi as rice cake
decoration for the new year and usually displayed inside the house, the god of
the new year, to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. Kagami mochi
is made from two rice cakes (mochi) of
different sizes, the smaller placed over the larger one and Japanese type of
bitter orange placed on top. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)
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| Mikos (shrine maidens) arrange 'Hamaya' (arrows intended to destroy evil spirits) to which 'Emas' (wooden plaques) are attached featuring a picture of dragon in celebration of the forthcoming 'Year of the Dragon' at Sosha Shrine on December 27, 2011 in Himeji, Japan. Japanese years are commonly associated with the twelve animals Rat, Ox Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| Participants in Santa costumes race in the Kyoto Santa Claus Marathon on December 23, 2011 in Kyoto, Japan. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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A spider is seen in nest of autumn leave
hang on December 11,2011 in Masui mountain, Himeji city, Japan. (Photo by
Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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Geiko geisha girls receive special fans
from their traditional dance master Inoue Yachiyo (L) as they show their
gratitude for the past year and best wishes for the new year on December 13,
2011 in Kyoto, Japan. The annual ritual is called 'Kotohajime', and is the
start of preparation for the new year. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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Photographers take pictures of Maiko and
geiko geisha girls as they walk outside the traditional art and tea house after
showing their gratitude for the past year and best wishes for the new year to their
dance master on December 13, 2011 in Kyoto, Japan. The annual ritual is called
'Kotohajime', and is the start of preparation for the new year. (Photo by Buddhika
Weerasinghe)
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| Candles burn during the One Million People's Candle Night event on December 7, 2011 in Osaka, Japan. For tow hours people were suppose to turn off holiday lights and use candles. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| A professor of Traditional Art Super College of Kyoto, Kosho Sudo carves eye of Buddha statue on December 5, 2011 in Kyoto, Japan. The Buddha statue is being made of pine from Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. About 5,000 people have so far contributed to the carving of the 270 cm high, 180 cm deep statue. When the Buddha statue is finished it will be given to the world famous Kiyomizu Buddhist temple to be displayed to the public from March 11, 2012. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| Anti-nuclear activist hold banners and shouts slogans during a protest beside the Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor at Siraki on December 3, 2011 in Tsuruga, Japan. Protesters gathered to call for the closure of troubled Monju nuclear reactor. Members of the Democratic Party of Japan and private sector experts agreed at a government energy policy session last week and the reactor needed to undergo a operational and budgetary review. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| People view illuminations during the Kobe Luminarie annual event on December 1, 2011 in Kobe, Japan. The Luminarie festival is held in memory of the over 6,400 people who lost their lives in the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake on January 17, 1995. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
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| People stand under lanterns as the Lantern Fair begins on November 30, 2011 in Kobe, Japan. About 400 Chinese lanterns light up Chinatown Square and the main street during the month long celebration. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) |
