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Information for Saitama's famous setsubunkai at Souganji... #insaitama #kazo #setsubun

The Setsubun festival at Fudougaoka Fudouson Souganji Temple in Kazo is famous throughout Kanto and beyond. It is probably Saitama’s most famous setsubun-kai? So much so, champion sumo wrestlers, even yokozuna have participated in the mamemaki bean throwing in the past. Apart from the common practice of mamemaki, throwing beans to ward off demons, they also have a very unique and popular ceremony…

Oshi Castle Ruins, apart from a fascinating history, the castle takes part in the fortnightly hanachozu week in Gyoda... #Gyoda #insaitama #hanachozu #castle

From a horse blessing temple (of yesterday's new post), to a shrine famous for its horseback archery. As well as having the oldest shrine *building* in all of Saitama Prefecture. #insaitama #saitamaguide

Izumo Iwai Shrine, the Yabusame shrine, in Moroyama town in the Iruma-gun of Saitama Prefecture. Following on from yesterday’s post about the horse blessing temple, today a shrine known for its horse back archery! Moroyama Town is known as the yabusame town thanks to the yabusame that is performed at Izumo Iwai Shrine twice annually. Despite being a small rural town, yabusame is not all the town…

Batou Kannon “Ema” prayer plaque market at Myouanji

The Batou Kannon Ema market is an only in Japan festival. Actually, there are only a few places in Japan that have an ema festival or market, so this festival is quite unique even in Saitama Prefecture too. Ema are the wooden prayer plaques or votive tablets you see at temples and shrines. Ema Market The ema market is referred to as ema-ichi in Japanese and sometimes people use “ema festival”…

The stunning plum blossom grove at Chichibu Muse Park... #insaitama #winterinjapan #plumblossoms #explorejapan

The plum blossom grove at Chichibu Muse Park is particularly beautiful. There is something about it and Shinrin Park’s plum blossom grove that sets them apart from the other “bairin”, plum blossom groves, in Saitama Prefecture. Possibly, the clever design that makes them more picture perfect than others. And in the case of Chichibu Muse Park’s plum blossom grove, it is on the side of a hill with…

*NEW POST* Information for the 2022 Daruma Market in Kitain. It is going ahead, but there have been big changes to access... #insaitama #kawagoeguide #kawagoe #newyears2022 #newyearjapan

Every year on January 3rd, Kitain temple in Kawagoe have a Daruma market as part of their New Year celebrations. January 3rd marks the final day (of three) of the official New Year period at Kitain. Thousands of people visit over those three days for the first prayers of the year, a tradition known as hatsumode in Japan. In 2021, the daruma market was cancelled on account of the Coronavirus. But…

Hanachozu week in GYODA

The “Hanachozu Week” in Gyoda often features on local and even national news as well as on social media platforms. The “Hanachozu Week” is actually two weeks long monthly. During the period there are dozens of “hanachozu” floral water fonts (or sometimes called floating flowers) around Gyoda. Various shrines, shops and even cafes participate. But it seems to be less known that once a month they…

#”Ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga” Upcoming movie in 2018, all set to release on 12th oct

Anil Kapoor and daughter Sonam Kapoor will soon be seen sharing screens together. Anil will play the role of Sonam’s father in the film ‘Ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga’. This will be the first time when the father daughter will be seen together on the big screen. This movie is directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s sister-style Chopra Dhara. Anil Kapoor rubbished the release of this movie in front of…