12 monthes

Mixed Chorus Group

Fonte

Our twelve monthes of Nagareyama in Japan

New Year

In Japan, the New Year is the greatest annual congratulation. Although there is no vacation of Christmas, for example in almost all public offices and business office, a year-end vacation starts on December 29, then there is a vacation of the new year till January 3.

At the New Year's Eve, number of people go to shopping for new year preparation, so almost all shops are busy until late at night.

It is said that 2/3 of Japanese people goes the first visit in the year to a shrine or temple in the period from the 1st in January to the 3rd. Most places amount to 3 million people for three days.

January

Fonte begins to practice a chorus on the first Saturday night, avoid three days of the beginning.
Since four music must be finished by seven practice days for an ensemble reception, it is very hard practice this year.

February

February 3 is Setsubun. This is the day before the first day of spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. Bean throwing ceremonies are held in homes, shrines and temples. We believe we can bring in good fortune and drive away evil spirits.

Our first event of each year is the Ensemble Festival in Nagareyama City held this month. This year we sang Elgar's " Ave Verum ", Tallis' " Audivi, Media Nocte ", Gibbons' " Almighty And Everlasting God " and Byrd's " O magnum misterium ". It is really difficult to sing a cappella.

There is a snowy year once in several years also in Nagareyama and the circumference.

March

A twig of peach flowers is decorated at the shop front of a bakery and a cake shop from the middle of February.
It is because March 3 is the Girl's Day.
And the day is the seasonal festival of Peach Flower.

The Japanese dolls that called " Hinaningyô " are decorated in the home with the girl. In simply, the number of dolls is two, and most gorgeously the number is 15.

Hinaningyô dolls

artificial peach flowers
at the front of a bakery

peach flowers at a park

1. What is Joshi no Sekku ? What isHina Matsuri ?
The first sekku ( season festival ) after a baby was born is called hatsu-zekku, and the Hina Matsuri ( Doll's Festival ) for a baby girl is on this day and officially called Joshi no Sekku. This is because " shi " means serpent and March 3rd is the first serpent day according to the custom inherited from ancient China. Nowadays it is popularly called Momo no Sekku ( Peach Festival ) because this is the season that the peach flower is in bloom and suitable to celebrate sekku.
© Shukoh Ningyo Co., Ltd. http://www.hinakoubou.com

policy of Japanese phonetic representation “ ô ” pronounce like as “ tall ”

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