As a foreigner in Japan you stick out. Especially so where I live, it not being the first pin on many tourists maps. This adornes you a bit of celebrity status, not an A-lister- one of those ones you know the name of but your not entirely sure what they do. This is especially true […]
Read Part One here… A man bangs a drum, a steady beat to laugh to, as the master of ceremonies gets ready to judge the hysteria. Participants take it in turn to laugh. It’s not a normal laugh, but three very distinct and theatrical ones- rising from the floor like a praying mantice and slumping […]
Japan is full of interesting and wonderful traditions. A sentiment embodied in an event I attended recently- a laughing festival. Every year, a select group gather in the town of Hofu to drink sake and laugh- a prelude to good luck in the coming year. It’s organised laughing; serious laughing with rules, rituals, judges and […]
snow monkey photography 