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Starting the Year in Gunma

Why Gunma? A friend invited us to come over and do what the Japanese do on January 1st and 2nd! So here's what we did there. 🙌

 Takasaki Daruma Festival

Daruma dolls are believed to bring good luck. So, most Japanese write their wishes on its left eye and keep it for a year. When a wish is granted, they write it on the right eye and burn the doll at the start of the new year.

Daruma dolls

Some people are writing their  wishes around
the big Daruma.

Genuine happiness in there! 😄


Sento

It was my first time to try Sento. As you know, public baths aren't a thing in the Philippines. It's even a no-no if you show your nakedness in front of others. It may be permissible for family and close friends but it still isn't a good idea. Well it was an amazing experience though. I realized that women are all equal.

Negotiating whether  it's okay to just
wear one-piece. 😅
And sorry it's prohibited to take photos inside.

Ryokan and Yukata

Ryokan is a traditional Japanese style hotel. You get to sleep in futon and wear a yukata. Sleeping on the floor is nothing new for me. I remembered sleeping in traditional mats with a mosquito net over me. It was really comfortable. I could sleep the whole day.

My twinnie. 😊


Yukata on the other hand is a casual kimono usually worn in Summer. There is a proper way to wear one which we overlooked and felt really embarrassed. Apologies to our students who taught us the how-to's before.


This one's a huge mistake because this style
is for a dead person.  The left collar should be on top. 😬

 Hatsumode

It's the first prayer of the year for Japanese. Most people go to shrines and pray. They also get omikuji, a strip of paper where your fortune for the year is written. There are 5-levels of omikuji - that is the best to worst fortune. If you get the worst one, you have to tie it up on a string in the shrine. I got omikuji but it's all written in Japanese and nobody could translate for me 😂 Unless you go to popular shrines and temples like the one in Asakusa - Senso-ji temple, English translations are already available.


Omikuji also has dfferent styles. The paper is
rolled and hidden inside this figurine.

Fresh Green Tea and Monaka

I thought I would never like green tea but this one's really good. I guess it was au naturel. Japanese sweets are also really delicious. It has a different kind of sweetness. Monaka comes in different shape. This one's in the shape of Kannon-Sama.


This green tea is so natural I could smell fresh leaves.


Kannon Yama

It's a shrine located on a mountain in Takasaki City. It also boasts its 42-meter statue which they call Kannon-sama. This area reminds me of Mountain View in Cebu. It's overlooking the city.

Kannon-sama is a god in Buddhism.

The place is mostly visited by locals and it's
better that way.

What I realized from experiencing Japanese style New Year celebration is that events like this doesn't have to be loud, fun, and crazy. I mean in my country, welcoming the new year is too merry and noisy. But should I change our way? No, not. We can try both!


😍😍😍

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