Today Japanese people celebrate Culture Day, a public holiday scheduled for November 3. If November 3rd falls on a Sunday, then the following Monday will be a public holiday instead.
Culture Day, otherwise known as Bunka no hi, is a day to honor traditional Japanese culture and promote the love of freedom and peace that is enshrined in the Japanese constitution.
As part of the celebration of Culture Day, the Order of Culture Awards Ceremony takes place at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The awards are given to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to Japanese culture or to society as a whole. Established in 1875, the Order of the Rising Sun has eight degrees.
A total of 4,214 people have received the award on November 4th 2018, including 135 foreigners, mostly Americans. One of them was former US Vice President Dick Cheney.
Past recipients include the three American astronauts who were aboard Apollo 11, Japanese artist Ikuo Hirayama, and poet Makoto Ooka.
The East Pagoda at Yakushi-ji Temple, by Ikuo HIRAYAMA
Starting to be that time of year
The days are getting shorter…
Cats’ revenge!
Today is the birthday, in 1940, of Delbert McClinton, US singer, songwriter, (1980 US No.8 single ‘Giving It Up For Your Love’), worked with Bruce Channel, wrote ‘Two More Bottles Of Wine’ country No.1 for Emmylou Harris. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T2xVYRAvyU
