Life and Culture

A Taste of Japan's Springtime Catch, Sand Lance
Boiled Sand lances being dry at the Himeji Tore Tore Ichiba outlet. A simple way of cooking is to boil them with salt and vinegar.MORE

Preparation For Nada No Kenka Festival
Japanese child walks beside the Mikoshi House while Shrine Parishioners of Matsubara team perform Taiko during the rehearsal preparation of Nada Kenka Matsuri or Nada Fight Festival at Shirahama town on October 5,2012 in Himeji, Japan. Nada Fighting Festival is one of biggest festival in Japan will hold on October 14 and 15 every years. Seven team of Shrine Parishioners carrying 7 portable shrine carried on the shoulders of the men in the parade and jolted against one another. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) More Photos
Japan Marks 67th Anniversary Of Hiroshima Atomic Bomb
Paper lanterns float on the Motoyasu River in front of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, commonly called the Atomic Bomb Dome, at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on August 6, 2012 in Hiroshima. Japan. Japan is marking the 67th anniversary of the first atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the United States on August 6, 1945, which killed an estimated 70,000 people instantly and many thousands more over the following years from radiation. Three days later another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, that effectively ended World War II.  (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)  More Photos More Photos

Kids Perform Traditional Kabuki Drama at Outdoor Kabuki Theater
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) More Photos


Naked Festival 
Japanese men wear loincloths as they try to enter the Saidaiji Temple during Naked Festival, 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 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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Geisha Girls Gratitude for Teacher.
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) More Photos
Capture Beauty of Life
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) More Photos
Students Carve Buddha Statue
Students carve a statue of Buddha at Traditional Art Super College of Kyoto 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) More Photos

Luminarie Festival Commemorates Kobe Earthquake Victims

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) More Photos

Japanese Participate In Traditional Tea Ceremony
A woman prepares green tea in front of the clients at ceremonial tea room, during the winter tea ceremony in Oushouji Buddhist temple on November 27, 2011 in Fukusaki , Japan. Usually, Japanese Traditional Tea Ceremony takes a place inside the Tea ceremony House,  called the Chashitsu, which is accessed by a narrow and low entrance. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe) More Photos
Snow Crabs Season Starts in Japan
A woman sorts red coloured snow crabs during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD).  (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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 Women Perform a Tea Ceremony Under the Autumn
Japanese women perform green tea during the outdoor tea ceremony under the colorful autumn leaves at Zuihoji Temple Park, Arima on November 3, 2011 in Kobe, Japan. The Japanese Tea Ceremony also
called the Way of Tea and Tea Art is a Japanese traditional cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of “Matcha,” powdered green tea. Tea is “Cha” in Japanese (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)
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Ready to Celebrate the Year of Rabbit.

Kids Perform Kabuki

    A Japanese traditional wedding takes in rice field

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                   Traditional sake shop
A sake shop name board in Ono city July 8,2010. Pic-Buddhika Weerasinghe/Street Photo Gallery. 44Y70
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Excellent alcoholic beverage in Japan  
    Sake is an excellent alcoholic beverage in Japan and that it can be enjoyed either hot or cold. Sake’s history is very long, dating back to the more than two thousand years. when Japanese literature studied which recorded when a method of rice planting was introduced to Japan same time started to Sake making. How ever Sake boom in the western 18th and early 19th centuries. When sake is firstly appeared in European restaurant it was frequently referred to as rice wine.

Rice is very important roll doing to making good sake as well as Sake grades are based on the quality of the rice. Sake is the traditional beverage of Japan. It is made from rice and water. Even, Koji bacteria and temperature doing major role rice to start the fermentation process.
“We need to more care about temperature and Koji bacteria process. Others bacteria’s activity and temperature are easy to control during the winter time.
Mostly others bacteria don’t be active winter time that is the reason we are make Sake during the winter time” Masaaki Kuriyama said.
Kuriyama is one of sake manufacturing person in Fukui prefecture, northern part of Japan. I was drink different sake and try to find good taste sake as well as some time I served sake others and asked from them how it tastes? Later I decide to join sak manufacturing sector and i started "Tokoyama Syzou" sake making company said Kyriyama.
After rice is washed, steamed and cooled, fermentation starts by adding
koji bacteria. Keep watching every 30 minutes after bacteria add.  That is important other wise others bacteria will be starting to lively. Sake making time need to more care comparing other alcohols manufacturing said Kuriyam.
Sake is a clear liquid and has about 15% alcohol in it. Sake can be served hot or cold. Hot sake is called atsukan, and cold sake is called hiyazake. Winter is the best time to enjoy hot sake.
Sake has played an important role in Japanese culture and history and as
current status as one of the most popular drinks in the country. Sake was used by Japanese for many important purposes in the Shinto religion, including as an offering to the Gods and to purify the temple. The bride and groom each consume sake in a Shinto wedding ceremony.
How ever, among the young generation most popular drink is beer. Japanese sake is the second most popular drink.
Now we have many important alcohols but each important moment we used sake.
Young generation doesn’t appreciate sake more that beer and wine. But we need to continue our culture with sake. Sake and our culture have long historic link said Kuriyama. 
© Buddhika Weerasinghe
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                                          Coming of age ceremony
        Coming of Age Day, a formal event of Japan women and men marked their transition into the adulthood. Hundreds thousands of new teenagers take a part in ceremonies and marking an adulthood every year around the Japan city hall, temple and public place.

 The typical colorful kimono dress up women and suits or tuxedos wear men who will be transition into 20 years old attend ceremony with same age friends. That formal event have been marking every year second week of the Monday in January.
It was a fun and most famous event among the younger in Japan.
© Buddhika Weerasinghe

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