Foundation Day
Today was a national holiday (National Foundation Day (建国記念の日)—marking a celebration of the day the first emperor of Japan (Emperor Jimmu) ascended to the throne in 660 BC. Because I love soaking up Japanese culture, I researched activities happening in and around Tokyo for the holiday. I found an annual parade at the Meiji Jingu shrine scheduled for 10:00am, so I grabbed my camera, put on my rain gear (it was raining this morning), and headed to the shrine.
Even though the weather was rather miserable, the celebratory atmosphere wasn’t dampened in the least. The shrine was filled with high school band members performing music, celebrants in traditional Japanese costumes, and a parade of small shrines being carried through the passageways of the shrine grounds by locals who were singing and dancing as they carried the small shrines. The atmosphere was electric despite the rain, and it was another reminder to me to prioritize cultural experiences because they provide me with so much joy and enrichment.
