Kobe mark 15th anniversary of Hanshin Earthquake

“Never forget this experience forever”、That line wrote in the people’s sign board at park in Chuo Ward by one of person expression to who’s emotion and remember to victim of the 15^th years ago “Great Hanshin Earthquake” in western port city of Kobe in Japan.

Thousand people gather Kobe and neighboring cities commemorated 15 anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake on 17^th Sunday 2010. People offered silent prayers and light thousands of bamboo lanterns for died 6,434 people by earthquake.

Coming of age ceremonies (成人式 seijin-shiki)

Coming of Age Day, many women and men who will be 20 years old this year attend a special ceremony all over the country their home village and celebrate with their same age friends. All of wearing traditional and colourful costume and present the "Seijin Shiki" ceremony.Second week of the Monday in January is a day of 20 years old ceremony. A person who is 20 years old is an adult legally in Japan attend this day ceremony. Local media report according to the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, about 1.27 million people turned 20 years old in 2009 and new adults number les than 1.3 million.

Every city organizes this ceremony for the people who live in the city and celebrates them. Mayor or some people usually give a speech for them in the ceremony. After the ceremony, the young adults often celebrate in groups by going to parties or going out drinking.

Japanese New Year 2010.

Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.

Japanese people walk to ring the bronze bell and remove their evil passions of there life in Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.


Japanese girl rings the bronze bell and remove their evil passions of there life in Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.



Buddhist monk prays in Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010. Around the midnight on New Year all Buddhist temple ring their large bronze traditional bell 108 times, it’s tradition called “Joya-no-kane”.
Japanese Buddhist believes that human have 108 evil passions or earthly desires then their try to clear around the midnight on New Year that evil passions through ringing the bell.





A man reads his fortune (Omikuji) written on strips of paper at shrine in Fukui, Japan January 1,2010.

A child walks with her parents to shrine in Fukui, Japan January 1, 2010.

Clean the cannel of Fukui castle.

Japanese men wear the traditional costume and hat cleans the cannel of Fukui castle. Fukui Castle built in 1606 and castle was destroyed by fire in 1669. In 1945, the palace was destroyed by US Air Force firebombing during World War II. Today, local government and police office stand in there.

Winter Strom Hits Fukui

A kid makes snow ball during his parent removes snow front of their beauty saloon in Fukui, Japan December 18, 2009. Heavy snow has fallen in the past 48 hours in Fukui, northern part of Japan.

A man removes snow front of the beauty saloon in Fukui, Japan December 18, 2009. Heavy snow has fallen in the past 48 hours in Fukui, northern part of Japan.


A kid makes snow ball during his parent removes snow front of their beauty saloon in Fukui, Japan December 18, 2009. Heavy snow has fallen in the past 48 hours in Fukui, northern part of Japan.

A kid plays with snow during his parent removes snow front of their beauty saloon in Fukui, Japan December 18, 2009. Heavy snow has fallen in the past 48 hours in Fukui, northern part of Japan.

The first snowfall

Heavy snow in Fukui prefecture, north part of Japan on Friday and foreign news agencies court the Meteorological Agency and said cold air mass caused record snowfalls and record-low temperatures for December in northern Japan

Ready to end 2009

Seasonal light displays around the city of Fukui and Fukui’s people ready to end year 2009 and begin to year 2010.

Geisha, traditional Japanese artist-entertainers.

Geisha is a traditional Japanese artist-entertainer and one of a symbol of Japanese culture. They entertain customers through several of performances, for example, singing, dancing and playing instruments. ‘Gei' means arts or performances, and ‘Sha’ means people in Japanese. Geisha were most popular in the 18th and 19th centuries in Japan.

There are two basic types of geisha. One is called “tachikata” who mainly do traditional Japanese dance (mai). The other is called “jikata” who mainly sing or play instruments.

On December 5,2009, Geisha in Awara Onsen (hot spring) area in Fukui held a special event for the tourist to make them familiar with Geisha performance. Geisha in Awara Onsen have more than 120 year-old history. It uses to be very popular and there were more than 250 Geisha. However, now the number decreased grammatically up to 20, because people lifestyles have been changed.