{"id":1049,"date":"2016-03-03T16:26:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-03T22:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/?p=1049"},"modified":"2016-03-03T16:26:00","modified_gmt":"2016-03-03T22:26:00","slug":"this-month-in-japan-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/?p=1049","title":{"rendered":"This Month in Japan | March"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;<span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><i>Yayoi<\/i><\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">is the lunar calendar name for March meaning &#8220;new life,&#8221; symbolizing the coming of spring.<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">The only national holiday this month is<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><i>Shunbun no hi<\/i><\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">, or Vernal Equinox Day, on March 20th or 21st. This is the official mark of the spring season as well as the unofficial start of the<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><i>sakura<\/i><\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">cherry blossom season in much of Japan.<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><a href=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Hinamatsuri-Doll-Festival-300x199.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1050\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1050 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Hinamatsuri-Doll-Festival-300x199-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Hinamatsuri-Doll-Festival-300x199\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"_ZR irc_hol i3724\" href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesehouse.org\/event\/youth-workshop-hinamatsuri-dolls\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-noload=\"\" data-ved=\"0ahUKEwir5NrLxKXLAhUBwmMKHehsCRIQjB0IBg\"><span class=\"irc_ho\" dir=\"ltr\">www.japanesehouse.org<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Screen-Shot-2012-03-03-at-2.44.05-PM.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1051\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1051\" src=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Screen-Shot-2012-03-03-at-2.44.05-PM-300x182.png\" alt=\"Screen-Shot-2012-03-03-at-2.44.05-PM\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Screen-Shot-2012-03-03-at-2.44.05-PM-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Screen-Shot-2012-03-03-at-2.44.05-PM.png 481w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"_ZR irc_hol i3724\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kawaiikakkoiisugoi.com\/2012\/03\/03\/hinamatsuri-girls-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-noload=\"\"><span class=\"irc_ho\" dir=\"ltr\">www.kawaiikakkoiisugoi.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><a href=\"http:\/\/r.mustanglist.com\/redir.php\/b\/d0xXUjcxMS0yMTQ5ODctNjk2MzYxNi02MjYwNjY4MQ~~\/\" target=\"_blank\">Girls&#8217; Day, or\u00a0<i>Hina Matsuri<\/i><\/a><\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">, falls on March 3rd and is one of the most popular celebrations this month. In mid-February, it is customary for families with young daughters to set up doll displays of the imperial court. Families enjoy tasty delights like<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><i>chirashi<\/i><\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">sushi and strawberry<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\"><i>daifuku<\/i><\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"x_Apple-style-span\">while offering prayers for good health, fortune, and happiness for young girls.&#8221; &#8211; Credit to original owner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Other events going on in Japan:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">March represents the beginning of spring and blooming of cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom viewing is a popular activity with tourists and the Japanese people. And because it only occurs \u00a0for a short period of time, many people may gather together to view cherry blossoms at parks at once.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_1053\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/p4215460.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1053\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1053\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1053\" src=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/p4215460-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/p4215460-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/p4215460-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/p4215460-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/p4215460-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/p4215460.jpg 1411w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1053\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"_ZR irc_hol i3724\" href=\"https:\/\/lifetoreset.wordpress.com\/2012\/05\/04\/last-hurrah-on-the-cherry-blossom-season-shinjuku-gyoen-hinode-cho-river\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-noload=\"\"><span class=\"irc_ho\" dir=\"ltr\">lifetoreset.wordpress.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>March 14<\/strong> is White Day and this holiday is when men gives a gift back to the women they received gifts from (on Valentine&#8217;s Day). It is also a popular holiday for sales events in major department stores.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">&#8220;A festival to welcome Spring to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/nara\">Nara<\/a> with a wide range of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/nara-omizutori-festival\">rituals<\/a> that take place over 14 days (March 1 &#8211; March 14). The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/nara-omizutori-festival\">main events<\/a> involve burning giant torches surprisingly close to a 1200 year old wooden building at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/todaiji-temple\">Todaiji Temple<\/a> to rain sacred sparks on a crowd standing below.&#8221; &#8211;\u00a0http:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/japan-in-march<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/tmp_e_1652_event_img.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1052\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1052 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/tmp_e_1652_event_img-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"tmp_e_1652_event_img\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/tmp_e_1652_event_img-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/tmp_e_1652_event_img.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"_ZR irc_hol i3724\" href=\"http:\/\/aussieontheizu.blogspot.com\/2013\/03\/tgif-omizutori-nara.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-noload=\"\" data-ved=\"0ahUKEwjCibDHxqXLAhUB_GMKHRzjCwEQjB0IBg\"><span class=\"irc_ho\" dir=\"ltr\">aussieontheizu.blogspot.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">For more info on events in Japan during the month of March, link <a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanvisitor.com\/japanese-festivals\/festival-march\">here<\/a>!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Yayoi\u00a0is the lunar calendar name for March meaning &#8220;new life,&#8221; symbolizing the coming of spring. The only national holiday this month is\u00a0Shunbun no hi, or Vernal Equinox Day, on March 20th or 21st. This is the official mark of the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/?p=1049\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,12,10],"tags":[27,121,101,32,97],"class_list":["post-1049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aapi-communities","category-aapi-families","category-healthy-youth-development","tag-culture","tag-events","tag-japan","tag-tips","tag-traditions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1049"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1054,"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1049\/revisions\/1054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biculturalhealth.apacommnet.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}