Karube In the city of Okayama Prefecture, there is a temple dedicated to Goddess Chichigamisama breast.

It is believed that this deity helps to have a good birth and produce good quantities of milk and even cure breast cancer.

It was built in 1678 and is well known in Japan.

Most Japanese women who come to the shrine pray for a safe delivery, breastfeeding heavy or cure breast cancer, however there are those who pray to have a large bust.

Inside the temple there as breasts on planks of wood, in which the faithful write their prayers and requests in the hope that they are heard by the Goddess.

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The February 3 held in Japan the tradition of Setsubun, which should be eaten Eho-maki to attract luck.

According to custom you should get a southeasterly direction as it is the luck and eat the entire sushi roll without stopping, not allowed to speak until finished.

Today many Japanese for their work at home can not make the popular Eho-maki, so these days can be purchased at supermarkets and combinis.

These rolls are not made from restaurants to stores that provide as many believe, if not carried out industrially in factories specializing in products related to the bento in general. I leave you with a report that was issued recently on Japanese television on these factories.

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In Japan there are no park does not have koi pond, the domestic variety of common carp. Koi also means "affection" as the Japanese believe that the tent is lucky.
The cultivation of these ornamental carp began in China during the Qing Dynasty and came to Japan during the Yayoi Era.

It was during the nineteenth century when it starts to catch on significantly in Niigata Prefecture in Japan. Japanese Farmers and food raised common tents, which favored the expansion of the new variety coming from China and korea. It was they who got the most intense colors and pure, and they made a very careful breeding.


In the early twentieth century ornamental carp farming became popular worldwide, thanks to growing trade between Japan and the rest of the world. Currently it is common to find them in pet shops and breeding has specialized lot, even some specimens have been valued at 100,000 euros.

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Photos: dkatzism , mayflyjpn , david_z , pyhooya , stanzim

Many are surprised when they travel to Japan from the figures that adorn the entrances of some houses and restaurants. This is the Tanuki, a sculpture depicting a raccoon dog wearing a peasant's hat, carrying a bottle of Sake and with huge balls that come to the floor.
The Tanuki is an animal native to Asia and once fairly common in Japanese forests. Currently because of its prized skin was also introduced in Russia where it is now a threat to native species. Actually the raccoon dog has little to do with Raccoons and is considered an ancient and distant relative of the Dog.

In the past the tanuki always played an important role in Japanese mythology, as it was considered an animal with powers similar to those of the fox. According to the Japanese believed these animals were of a good-natured, but very naughty. Sometimes even taking human form for farmers gastarles jokes.

At the beginning of last century Kyoto sculptor wanted to create the concept that the Japanese had these cute animals and I believe the current figure decorates many local entries in the country. According to tradition these sculptures bring luck, since there are eight aspects that favor.

These are: a large hat that will protect us from the problems and bad weather, large eyes to perceive all fine and well to make good decisions, a sake bottle that represents virtue, a big tail that provides stability and strength to succeed, a large testicles, symbolizing money luck, a bag that represents trust, a big belly that symbolizes stability and calm, and a smile for friends.

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Photos: 40295335 @ N00 , Kalima , 2922705217 , maxime-passionzoos

The Ainu are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaido and northern Honshu. They are also known as Ezo or Yezo (虾夷, Ezo or Yezo) in ancient Japanese, and as it is like today Utari prefer to be called. Currently, there are about 15,000 Japanese with a parent or both belonging to this ethnic group.

Its origins are very old and today they are considered together with other ethnic groups of Siberia, as the first groups of settlers from Asia. According to archaeological finds came to Hokkaido during the last Ice Age over 18,000 years.

Moreover Ainu have genetic characteristics that demonstrate its clear differentiation from other contemporary populations of the region.

Traditional Ainu culture is very different from the Japanese. At a certain age men stopped shaving so the older men had huge beards and mustaches. Men and women cut their hair the same way and at puberty, women tattooed their mouths, arms and genitals with ash birch bark.

Their traditional dress was made with a thread that was extracted from the bark of elm and consisted of a layer of large sleeves that reach almost to the feet. In winter wore animal skins of deer leather leggings and boots and dog salmon. Both men and women wore earrings and necklaces called "tamasay.

They hunted with bows and poisoned arrows and their diet consisted mainly of deer meat, bear, fox, wolf, badger, ox and horse, as well as fish, crabs, oysters, birds, millet, fruits, vegetables, herbs and roots. Unlike the Japanese did not eat raw fish. To eat using chopsticks and some utensils that served to divide the mustache and women used wooden spoons.

They lived in huts made from reeds in one window and two doors, without room and a place for the fire in the center of it. They had no chimney and a hole in the roof served to evacuate the Ainu humo.Los sat and slept on the floor two layers of carpet, a reed and a cloth.

Since trade began to take a more direct contact with the rest of the Japanese from the seventeenth century. But during the Meiji era, the Japanese government to remove most powerful clan of the Island, Matsude thus initiating the annexation of Hokkaido and a campaign of acculturation of the Ainu people.

In the nineteenth century, the Ainu were fully integrated in Japan but relations between the two cultures were quite complicated, since the natives considered their traditions disappeared in favor of the Japanese.

But in 1973, the Ainu gathered in an assembly to vindicate the rights of his people in the Japanese nation. They currently have a stake in the Japanese parliament.

In 2008 the Japanese parliament unanimously adopted a resolution which recognized the Ainu as "an indigenous people with their own language, religion and culture" This recognition will allow the Japanese government to allocate aid in education and employment to the members of this ethnic group.

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Photos: kuckibaboo , pinned

One of the most typical Japanese sweets is definitely on the Mitarashi Dango.

Mochi is one that is covered and filled with a delicious molasses made with Soy Sauce, Sugar and Starch. There is a variety native to Hokkaido which is made ​​from potato flour and baked with shoyu ( soy sauce ).

But the most fascinating Mitarashi Dango is the story of its origin. An old story tells how an Emperor before entering the Temple washed his hands in the Rio Mitarashi suddenly the crystal waters of the river came a bubble that preceded the four. It is assumed that this story fascinated the Japanese of the time and came a sweet to commemorate the Mitarashi Dango.

The truth is that this delicious and if you have not had a chance to prove you can do it now by clicking here. >. <

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Photos: foxxyz , frizzlechicken, jpellgen , goodthings

In Japan, Kit Kats have an infinite variety of flavors and is very common for each season is released to market new limited editions. The secret of success in Japan of this candy is no doubt his great adaptation to the changing tastes of the Japanese consumer, but mostly eradicated in its name, which sounds similar to kitto kattsu phrase, meaning "sure to win ".

Altar with Kit Kats

So no wonder that the Japanese Kit Kat given away as a lucky charm and desirable. Even students eat during exam time to get good grades.

The Kit Kats in Japan are usually brightly colored in accordance with its flavor and come in boxes of exclusive designs as there are many people that collect as a souvenir.

Yes you are willing to make you with them here you have at your disposal ... The variety of flavors is really surprising .

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Photos: jpellgen , platinum288, toyotageek , bettybl , pinksherbet