Departments
Intermediate Japanese - Free Online Course
BUNKA NO HI
文化の日
Culture Day
Celebrated on November 3, “Culture Day” celebrates cultural development in Japan. It is a relatively new holiday. The first Culture Day was celebrated in 1948 to commemorate Japan’s new postwar constitution, which had been written only a few years earlier.
Culture Day is often marked by government ceremonies. The emperor usually awards medals to individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Japanese culture during the previous year.
BUTSUDAN
仏壇
household Buddhist altar
The practice of keeping Buddhist altars in homes goes all the way back to Japan’s Kamakura period (1192-1333), when priests often gave sermons in private homes. During the Edo period (1603-1867), Christianity was outlawed, so many practitioners of the forbidden religion created Christian versions of the butsudan in their homes.
The butsudan is usually boxlike and compact in shape. An image of the Buddha dominates its center. Most also contain stone or wooden tablets that bear the names of the family’s deceased members. Incense and votive candles are also common.
Today there are fewer butsudan in Japanese homes than in years past. Faith in Buddhism has declined over the past few generations. In addition, modern Japanese homes are very cramped—so the elimination of the butsudan frees up additional space.
