Customer Reviews

Floating Lanterns and Golden Shrines: Celebrating Japanese Festivals

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Floating Lanterns & Golden Shrines: Celebrating Japanese Festivals is brimming with detailed and charming illustrations by Toru Sugita of seven Japanese celebrations. Author Rena Krasno begins with a discussion of the origins of the Japanese people and the creation myth of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. The first festival is Setsubun (the day winter ends) and links ideas of Japan's indigenous religion, Shinto, with ideas and images borrowed from China. Traditional Japanese family holidays follow: Obon (remembering one's ancestors); Kodomon Hi (Children's Day); Hina Matsuri (Dolls Festival); Oshogatsu (New Years); Sapporo Snow Festival; and the Cherry Blossom Festival (honoring the heritage of more than 848,000 Japanese Americans in the United States. Key information about arts and daily life are interspersed throughout and include: ikebana, taiko, lacquerware, bonsai, origami, hiku, traditional Japanese sports and martial arts, and how Japanese names are formed. Included are recipes, games and other activities as well. The text provides historical background as part of retelling four folktales for a more intimate sense of Japanese culture. The Japanese language is explained as common, relevant phrases are introduced. Floating Lanterns & Golden Shrines is especially recommended for ages 8 to 13, but will be found entertaining and informative by all age groups.

I specifically bought this book to help me create a lesson plan on Hina Matsuri. It is an okay buy for the purpose of teaching at a primary school. I wish the book had more depth and all the extras (crafts, recipes, etc.) for each celebration they listed.

This is one of the best and most accurate books about Japanese culture and festivals that I have found. I checked with my Japanese students and they think it is pretty good and accurate. They could read the writing and felt the information was accurate. Highly recommended.