A week before winter break Mrs Hiromi, our pre – k teacher, taught us about new year celebrations in Japanese tradition, going to shrines praying for a good year, preparing rice cakes (Kagami mochi) and spending time with family. As part of our lesson we prepared kadomatsu: a structure of 3 bamboos’, a pine branch and flowers representing: prosperity, longevity and steadfastness. Here’s our version of it with the rice decoration (I got from the supermarket) followed by a much more impressive version we saw in Kyoto 🙂
At the entrance to the friend’s house where we stayed, on the morning of the 31st one of the residence put up this lovely decoration:
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