Animated Pictograms

Fun and easy-to-understand presentation of historical culture and traditional customs that are uniquely Japanese.

  • VISIT TO TEMPLE / SHIRINE
  • BOWING
  • POUNDING RICE CAKE
  • HAILING A CAB / TAXI
  • TAKING A BATH
  • WATER ABLUTION
  • TEA CEREMONY
  • RHYTHMIC CLAPPING AT CELEBRATIONS
  • RIDING THE TRAIN
  • WINNING MOVES IN SUMŌ
  • AWA DANCE FESTIVAL
  • Coming Soon

About The Project

EXPERIENCE JAPAN PICTOGRAMS were developed to provide visual support for tourists in Japan.
For more information about the objectives and design concept of the project, please click here.

Request

If you would like us to create new PICTOGRAMS for you or have other requests, please contact us here.

FESTIVAL

祭り[MATSURI]

Several hundred thousand festivals of various sizes are said to be held annually in Japan. Large-scale festivals such as the Gion Festival (Gion Matsuri) of Kyoto and the Nebuta Festival (Nebuta Matsuri) of Aomori, attract millions of spectators whereas small-scale ones are celebrated by locals only. Participants gather at a shrine or temple around the same time every year and pray for good harvests, stable weather, and wellbeing, often carrying a sacred palanquin called “mikoshi” that is believed to be a vehicle of a deity, shouting the common phrase, “Wasshoi, wasshoi!” It is fun to watch Japanese people, many of whom are normally reserved and shy, letting loose and being merry during a festival.