Japan Kicks Off Golden Week with Showa Day

Golden Week is one of the most looked forward to and important holiday weeks in Japan. It begins on April 29th with Showa Day and extends all the way through Children's day on May 5th. 

To get in the spirit of Golden Week, the Japanese begin by celebrating the birthday of one of their beloved emperors, Emperor Hirohito- also known as the Showa Emperor. He was the reigning emperor from 1926 through 1989. 

After his death on January 7, 1989 the celebration of his birthday was replaced by the holiday known as Greenery Day, which is also part of the Golden Week celebration. But in May of 2005, April 29th was renamed Showa Day and Greenery Day was moved to May 4th. 


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Emperor Hirohito's reign is so widely celebrated due to its association with the rise of Japan as an industrial and economic power. Showa Day is purposed to encourage the people of Japan reflect on their nation's recovery from a great many turbulent times that occurred during Hirohito's reign, including the rise of Fascism, World War II, and the post-war occupation. 

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The Cherry Tree From the 19th Century to Today (Part Two of Two)

The symbolic importance of the cherry tree continued to evolve from ancient times through the 19th century and is still changing, even today. 

During the Meiji Restoration, beginning in 1868,  the cherry trees symbolized the Japanese soldiers' dedication and devotion to their nation through their sacrificial service. The significance of the cherry blossoms is clearly shown through a statement where the soldiers were told that they shall "die like beautiful falling cherry petals for the emperor." This idea represented the new nationalist goals of Japan. After the Meiji period had ended, a memorial, called the Yasukuni Shrine, was built to honor the fallen soldiers of that period. There cherry trees were planted and it is thought that the blossoms of the cherry trees are there to console the souls of the deceased. 

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The symbol of the cherry tree continues to grow and evolve alongside the constantly changing nation of Japan. In 1912, the Japanese government sent 3,000 cherry trees to Washington to represent their newly established political alliance. Since the cherry trees were held so dear to the people of Japan, giving the United States the trees communicated their desire for peace and friendship. 

As time went on, cherry trees also became a symbol for not only the fallen soldiers of the Meiji period, but also the Japanese soldiers who died during World War II. During the war, in an attempt to preserve the deflating Japanese spirit, vice-admiral Onishi Takijiro painted cherry blossoms on the uniforms of the pilots, as well as on the side of their planes. Each petal that fall from the cherry trees that are planted in the Yasukuni Shrine are said to represent each soldier who died trying to protect his country. 

For centuries, cherry trees and their beautiful blossoms have represented the spirit of Japan, filling its people with a sense of nationalism and hope, even when surrounded by death and despair. After the tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011, devastating the land and the people, cherry blossoms were used to show people the light and fill them with hope through the dark times ahead. 


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The History of the Cherry Tree in Ancient Japan (Part One of Two)

The pink and white blossoms of the Japanese cherry trees in Washington D.C. are breathtaking now that they've fully bloomed after a cold beginning to spring on the east coast. To any American passing by the blossoms they would serve as a pleasant sight, but to the Japanese, their presence symbolizes so much more than aesthetic beauty. They symbolize many aspects of Japan as a nation, as well as many of of the values that the Japanese hold dear. Their love and appreciation of the cherry tree dates back hundreds of years. 

The connection between the Japanese and their beloved cherry trees stretches all the way back to 710, when the Japanese first began to plant cherry trees in residential areas, when before they had only resided in the mountains. The trees were considered sacred, for it was a common belief that they carried the soul of the mountain gods and brought them to humans. During the first few weeks of spring, many Japanese would make long journeys into the mountains to worship the trees.

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Cherry trees also serve as a symbol of the uniqueness of the Japanese culture. The first ever recorded reference to the cherry blossom was seen in 712 in the Kojiki. The Kojiki is a collection of oral accounts of the origins of Japan, nicknamed the "Japanese Spirit". During this time, the imperial courts held elegant cherry blossom viewing festivals, known as hanami. At these festivals the elite class would sing, dance, drink, and eat while enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossoms. 

During the rise of the Feudal system and the samurai warrior, the cherry blossom became associated with courage and a noble character. They were said to represent the Japanese soul, which was a man who did not fear death. 

Even today many Japanese people participate in the special cherry blossom viewings, referred to as hanami. Companies and neighborhoods organize group visits, students are even exempt from classes for the day in honor of the occasion. 

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Five Ways to Celebrate "Encourage a Young Writer Day"

In addition to National Siblings Day, April 10th is also Encourage A Young Writer day. This day is particularly important here at ONCEkids, who is all for the support and encouragement of young readers and writers. Like many other parents, we strongly believe that writing and reading beginning at a young age helps children to acquire and expand skills in self-expression, imagination, vocabulary, and critical thinking- even into and throughout adulthood. 

You can acknowledge this holiday by encouraging your young writer with five different fun and though-provoking games. So whether your child is an avid reader and writer or dreads the thought of even having to pick up a pen, these five games are sure to spark some energy and excitement in your 
child on this special day!

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1. Poetry Puzzler

This fun activity is the perfect way to facilitate critical thinking in both you and your child, not to mention serve as a great way for you two to spend some time together! To play this game, have your child write down five fun words on a piece of paper while you do the same. After you're both finished, exchange lists and write poems using the words you've been given to test imagination and definitely get a few laughs!

2.  Pass It Along

This fun, interactive game requires three or more people. The rules of the game are that each person begins a story on a piece of paper and passes is along to the next person to continue. Sounds easy enough, but there is a twist to the game to make things a little more interesting! Before passing the game, you fold the piece of paper so only the last sentence is written and the person has to attempt to correctly continue the story with only that bit of information. Once the paper has been passed all the way back to you, open it up and read the hilarious twists and turns the story has made to on its journey back to you!

3. Write a Short Story

Encourage writing and imagination in your child by having them create a short story. This will also help them to feel a sense of accomplishment, especially if you collect their stories and put them together in some sort of book or binder. 

4. Free Write 

Often times, a child or even a student will complain that they do not have anything to write about- especially if asked to write a short story. Solve this problem by having your child do a free write. The objective of a free write is to sit down and write solidly for a particular set of time, which may vary depending on your child's age. There is no plot or assigned subject during a free write, the goal is simply to write about anything and everything that comes in to the child's mind. Often times, participants are told to not even think but to just write. This activity helps to promote creative expression and remind children of the joys of writing in a world where often times writing emphasizes grammar and structure, which children find painfully boring. 

5. "If I Were…"

My personal favorite game! Help your child's imagination to run free with this next game! For this activity, have your child write down a list of people, whether they are celebrities, superheroes or their favorite cartoon character, and then have them write detailed descriptions of all of the things they would do if they were that person. This causes a child to dig deep into their imagination and use creativity to dream of a world as superman or a Disney princess. 

This little known day is set aside to celebrate the art of writing. It can sometimes seem like the focus of writing for children is typically on grammar, so this is a unique opportunity to slip in some writing which becomes increasingly important as they get old- finding their voice!

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The Chinese Respect Their Ancestors During the Qingming Festival

The people of China are all beginning their preparations in anticipation of tomorrow's celebration of the Qingming Festival. Also known as Ancestor's day or Tomb Sweeping Day, the Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. This very traditional and cultural festival is celebrated 104 days after the winter solstice and 15 days after the Spring Equinox, making it fall on April 4th this year. There are several different purposes of this day and various traditional activities are performed to acknowledge this special day. It is a time dedicated to the spring, encouraging people to stop and enjoy the greenery and beauty that this time of year brings after the long winter. 

The first, and most important, custom of the Qingming festival is the sweeping of ancestors' and loved ones' tombs. Family members reserve this day to visit the tombs of their loved ones who have passed, bringing with them wine and their favorite foods. Weeds are cleared from around the tomb and fresh soil is added in order to pay respects and show care. 

Another custom held dear to those who celebrate the Qingming Festival is flying kites. On this day, people across China-young and old- gather together to fly handmade kites of all different shapes and sizes. The most beautiful part of kite flying comes when the sun sets.

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Once the evening comes, it is tradition for the Chinese people to attach tiny colored lanterns to their kites before flying them, making them look like twinkling stars in the night sky. Cutting the strings of the kites and letting them fly freely is a custom that is believed to bring good luck to the kite owner. 

The traditional food of the Qingming Festival is the delicious sweet green rice ball. The custom of preparing and eating the sweet green rice balls is a ritual that dates back to the Zhou Dynasty, over 2,000 years ago! 

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Happy Easter from Asia!

In the west, when one is asked to list traditions that follow the beloved Easter holiday, symbols like eggs, chocolate, and the Easter bunny often come to mind. But if you were to ask Christians in Asian countries including South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong, they would lack any understanding of such traditions. 

It is an interesting concept that Christmas receives such attention yet Easter almost none- this is most likely due to the heavily commercialized aspects of Christmas, where media coverage of the Easter season is limited to department stores advertising new clothes and candy stores selling chocolate eggs. Despite half the population being Christian in South Korea, you would still be hard pressed to find any kind of tribute to Easter when walking the streets of the towns and cities. 

However, take a trip down to China and it will be a completely different story. The passing of Spring is a time that holds a tremendous amount of significance to the Chinese, and Easter falls during this time- thus making it of importance to their culture. 

The three symbols associated with Easter in the west are also found in Chinese Easter traditions, the egg, the rabbit, and the baby chick. Painting and decorating eggs is a big part of the western celebration of Easter that is also found in China around this time of year. It is considered to be an art form and is taken quite seriously.

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The eggs are first drained in preparation to be painted, then images of women, scenes, and other beautiful images are carefully drawn on. It is also custom to use jade and wood to carve a dragon's egg, which is then given to children to represent growth and change. 

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Rice to Feed the World (Part two of two)

Rice has been feeding countless people for thousands of years but its growing potential was truly recognized this year when Sumant Kumar broke the world record for growing 22.4 tons of rice on just one hectare of land. 

This dedicated Indian farmer has been growing rice for many years, but until recently, his efforts have remained relatively unknown. For him, and many other rice growers, a typically yearly harvest would consist of four or five tons per hectare. But an unusual amount of rain in his village of Darveshpura was responsible for the sudden spike in rice production. He recalls that the stalks he cut on his paddy, located near the bank of the Sakri river, seemed to be significantly heavier than usual as he was harvesting them. 

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When he went to weigh his crop on the village scales, even he was shocked at the result. The result was not eight tons or even fifteen, but a jaw-dropping 22.4 tons of rice. This number allowed Kumar to take the prize for the world record of tons of rice per hectare of land, using only manure free from herbicides to do it. 

This is such big news for us because we whole heartedly believe in the importance rice can have in not only different customs and traditions, but also of helping to feed our growing population of seven billion, half of which uses rice as their staple food. 

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