Japanese Children
Throughout our year in Japan the children captured our hearts.
This little girl was peering over her father's shoulder at the parade of floats in Hamamatsu. Notice that she is wearing a happi coat
She seemed more interested in us, these foreign looking strangers, than she was with the intense colors and cacophony of the parade.
Everyone in each neighborhood, including the smallest members, wears matching happi coats at the Hamamatsu kite festival. This little one wasn't certain what she thought of the whole thing.
Even the tiniest children may wear formal kimono for special occasions. This little girl was with her parents at the water dousing ceremony in Kamakura. We think that she will wear the same kimono for Shichigosan Day when she is three years old.
We found that the boys tend to be much more adventurous and animated than little girls. Generally they seem to be less disciplined and more irrepressible. This little guy seemed to be oblivious to the festivities taking place at Takeda Shingen Shrine for Adult's Day. Notice the young couple in the background in formal wear for the day that marks their coming of age.
New Year's Day is the most important holiday in Japan. When people go to the shrines on that day to hang their prayers for the New Year and read their fortunes, they are often dressed in their finest clothing. We would most often see women and girls in kimono, but sometimes men and boys also would dress in their kimono. Here are a couple of pictures that we took at the shrine in Kumomoto on New Year's Day
