Food and alcohol are undeniably an important part of Karatsu Kunchi. Locals open their houses to family, neighbors, friends, and even strangers to come and spend a little time eating and drinking. Most of the women and some of the men in the family will work tirelessly to prepare a variety and large quantities of food. … Continue reading Karatsu Kunchi: Feasting and House-hopping
I apologize for the lack of posts this month. I caught a bad bug earlier this month and was out of commission for about a week and then I had to play catch up at work. On top of that, we are preparing for the arrival of our new JET ALTs in Saga! It's an … Continue reading Ochi Ajisai Matsuri 2017
After the Sakura finish blooming in early March, you don't have to wait long for another famous flower to bloom. Early May (AKA Golden Week), is the best time to see blooming Wisteria. Since I was traveling a lot during Golden Week I was able to see various places from Karatsu to Kyoto covered in … Continue reading Wisteria Hysteria: Golden Week
Last week I posted about the Karatsu Hanami on Kagamiyama. This post is all the other Sakura pictures I took during the season - and by that I mean one or two weeks. Cherry Blossom season is very special to Japan. Sakura or cherry blossoms are the unofficial national flower, it welcomes spring, … Continue reading Zo Many Zakura
One of the best things about living in Japan is being able to experience Hanami 花見 or cherry blossom viewing. Newspapers print when and where the sakura will be in full bloom. It's important to plan ahead especially if you want to travel, and many local venues with fill up quickly with viewing parties if the … Continue reading Sakura in the Fog
That's right I said sand pull. It's the only way I can describe what you are about to see The second day of Karatsu Kunchi begins mid-morning at a large sand lot between an elementary school and a major road. The road has been blocked to make way for the floats and hundreds of … Continue reading Karatsu Kunchi: Day 2 – The Sand Pull
If you ever find yourself in Japan at the beginning of November, I implore you to make your way down south to the island of Kyushu to a city called Karatsu. It's nestled on the west coast of Kyushu and quite easy to reach from Fukuoka. November is the busiest time of the year for Karatsu. … Continue reading Kyushu Festivals: Karatsu Kunchi – Day One
