Japan in blissful isolation from the rest of the world during the New Year

[misa.j]

Besides, the hatsumoude tradition is built around getting up at dawn for the first sunlight and visit to a temple, so fireworks may seem too flashy, too early in the morning

I agree with this. I think beginning the year by showing priests or their diciples at temples or the scenes from other various places in Japan quietly on TV seems to fit better in their tradition.

I always felt kind of like a sustained intensity in a very quiet atmosphere they had on New Year's day in Japan. It's a different type of excitement from fireworks, but that's how they celebrate a New Year although if I'm not mistaken by port of Yokohama, they have fireworks.

[yukio_michael]

There's a relatively new Minmi video where she is performing at a summer matsuri (festival) that seems to suggest to her audience, hey, R&B is just a new version of traditional Shinto dance culture. Both politics and art in Japan tend to legitimize themselves through association with or subservience to tradition, rather than attempting to be a better practical application of philosophical ideals.

nod, here.

I have found that in most situations, brand names, inventions, traditions etc, are rarely given credit to the original source--- I've never been to a country who's occupants seemed so unaware of what happened outside of their own country, though I've been to plenty who suposed the same of my home country.

Now I know better. I don't think it's a big conspiracy though--- I just don't think it fits the model of Japanese society.