Message from the Editor

The last month of the year is the time for many year-end parties with friends, co-workers and (eventually) your family members. These Bōnen-Kai (or 忘年会, literally meaning, "year-forgetting meetings") will be good opportunities to get together and feel warmer during the cold days of winter. "Otsukaresama" (or お疲れ様) will be said everywhere to everyone for all the various efforts provided during the year 2006.

The end of the year is also a great time to get your soul purified in shrines. A new year is a new start, a new soul and new life perspectives. In Ibaraki, I would like to bring your attention to a very unusual festival happening on December 17th in Atago Shrine (Kasama-shi). This is a "bad mouth" event, as we have translated from "Akutai Matsuri" (悪態祭り), and is considered as one of the top three weird festivals in Japan. The principle is simple. You go in the mountain and curse, getting rid of the frustration accumulated throughout the whole year.

We have to say, this information is just what we were able to quickly research online. However, we will be very pleased to provide you with an article after seeing this event on December 17th. If you are curious enough, show up on that day too. You will find the address and phone number for this festival in our events list, as usual. For any comments, questions, or suggestions concerning our newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Also, it's a bit early, but we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

New articles for December 2006