Things Japanese People Do in Their Free Time

*Sumo

Sumo is a combat sport where two Rikishis or Sumo wrestlers fight in the dohyo ring utilizing various winning techniques (Kimarite). This sport is widely acknowledged internationally as a typical national Japanese sport with a long history. Intensive sparring bouts of power or tremendous throws attract everyone from children to seniors and this sport still retains a deep-rooted popularity today. Sumo has an official ranking list called "Banzuke" that shows the comparative strength of Rikishis, and the higher ranks are called Makuuchi and Rikishis with ability in Makuuchi join the San-yaku (Komusubi, Sekiwake, Ozeki) or three highest ranks below Yokozuna. At the top, there is Yokozuna. Official grand Sumo tournaments are held 6 times a year. Each tournament lasts 15 days, and the Rikishi gaining the most wins takes first prize. The results of the grand Sumo tournament greatly affect their ranking in the "Banzuke" for the next tournament.

*Fugi Rook Festival

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2007, the Fuji Rock Festival is the largest rock music festival in Japan where nearly 100,000 people congregate every year. The venue has been set at the Naeba Ski Resort since 1999, and the schedule has been revised to a total of 3 days and more stages have been added since then. Big-name headliners perform at the festival each year, so this event gets a lot of attention from overseas media as well. Although it is called a rock festival, a wide range of artists perform there, from grand old names of rock music to up-and-coming new faces, from jazz to techno musicians. The real thrill of this festival is that you can enjoy the music at your leisure in the grandeur of nature. Moreover, other attractions such as food booths and massage tents are set up for your pleasure.


*Tokyo International Film Festival

One of the 12 largest film festivals in the world, the Tokyo International Film Festival started in 1985 under the authorization of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) formed by 24 countries. This film festival has made a significant contribution to Japan's film industry and culture as the only authorized international film festival with tradition and prestige.

Kyoto

Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million people and a modern face.

Over the centuries, Kyoto was destroyed by many wars and fires, but due to its historic value, the city was dropped from the list of target cities for the atomic bomb and spared from air raids during World War II. Countless temples, shrines and other historically priceless structures survive in the city today.

Nijo Castle (Nijojo)

The palace building, now known as Ninomaru ("secondary castle"), was completed in 1603 and enlarged by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu. It survives in its original form and is famous for its Momoyama architecture, decorated sliding doors and floors that squeak like nightingales when someone walks on them (a security measure against intruders).

Nishiki Market

Nishiki Market is a narrow, shopping street, lined by more than one hundred shops. Various kinds of fresh and processed foods including many Kyoto specialties, such as pickles, Japanese sweets, dried food, sushi, and fresh seafood and vegetables are sold.

Ginkakuji

Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion, is a Zen temple at the foot of Kyoto's Higashiyama ("eastern mountains"). The temple is formally known as Tozan Jishoji.

In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of today's temple. A few years later, the Silver Pavilion, modeled after Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), was constructed. Plans to cover the pavilion in silver were never realized. The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa's death in 1490.

Osaka

Osaka is Japan's third largest and second most important city. It has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai region for many centuries.

Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa. Before the Nara Period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, Naniwa was once Japan's capital city, the first one ever known.

In the 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi chose Osaka as the location for his castle, and the city may have become Japan's capital if Tokugawa Ieyasu had not terminated the Toyotomi lineage after Hideyoshi's death and moved his government to distant Edo (Tokyo)

The Osaka Bay Area

The Osaka Bay Area is a collection of young city districts on man-made waterfront islands and peninsulas, built to accommodate Osaka's sprawling growth. The districts host a variety of tourist attractions, such as museums, theme parks, observatories and shopping centers. Osaka's domestic and international port facilities are also found in the area.