Japan

Well, a country that I really want to visit one day, is Japan, I really like Scandinavians countries, but I think I know much about Japanese culture or popular places.

I think that the main reason I have to want to go is the Japanese maple trees, and cherry blossom trees, I've been always in love with the cherry blossom trees, they're soooo beautiful, when they bloom the streets are full of them, and the view is so much beautiful for my heart, I've been always interested to see that scene. Also I like the culture, it always caught my attention for the respect that everyone there have to each others, like call their classmates by the last name and not by the name, or leave the shoes in the entrance of the house, walk around the house in slippers, sit in your legs and not in a chair, and the other main reason, I really like samurais.

Japanese Maple Trees in Kyoto

I think I know a little bit things about Japan, but I've learned something with video games and anime about the history of Japan, like that Tokyo was called "Edo" a lot years ago, or the eras, or the Shinsengumi, that was a police force organized by the military government, they were always wearing blue clothes and a white ribbon in their heads, and they were represented in various video games or anime.

Shinsengumi

If I travel to Japan one day, there are so many things I'd like to do, I'd really like to visit the shrines in the different prefectures and districts, see and participate the different festivals, like the Shōgatsu, or in other words "New Year", in this festival, people use to wear a kimono traditional (if they want to), and go to the shrine to pray for good luck, heal or love, and burn off amulets. Or receive postcards or "nengajö" from other people, the first day of January, with an illustration of the zodiacal sign of the year.

Nengajös of the Dragon and Bunny year

The festival that I'd really want to see is the Hanami, in this festival people use to have a picnic beside the cherry blossom trees, meanwhile they are bloom, a curious fact is that the cherry blossom was the emblem of the samurais, the aspiration of a samurai was to die in his time of maximum splendor, in battle, and not to grow old and "wither", just as the cherry blossom does not wither.

Hanami festival

Also I'd want to travel around Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, in fact, Kyoto means "capital city", and visit the Kinkakuji shrine, or walk around the Nagamachi Samurai District in Kanazawa, in which lived a lot samurai families, and, of course, there are many samurai old houses. And like a really tour around Japan, I can't say that I'd want to visit Japan without mention the Mt. Fuji, which is the highest and also most famous mountain in Japan, and also World Heritage.

Kinkakuji Shrine

Mt. Fuji

I can't forget to write about the Studo Ghibli, from my point of view, the most important Japanese animation film studio, this studio has been produced a lot of great movies, stories that can made you cry, or feel angry, I can give an example, the movie Hotaru no Haka, or just "The Grave of the Fireflies", based on the bombardment to the city of Kobe after the Second World War. I'd really like to know the Studio Ghibli.

Talking about food, I really want to participate in the Japanese Tea Ceremony, or eat the original ramen and soba, cooked by Japaneses chefs, onigiri, taiyaki, sushi, mochi, anpan, dango, and many Japanese sweets.

I don't want to live or study there, but this country really caught my attention, that culture is so interesting, there are many curious facts too, and a lot things to learn about Japan.