Saturday 14^th November 2009

The tentative JAFWA program for Saturday 14^th October 2009 is below. To be held in the Hayden Williams lecture theatre. 405.102

Things of Note:
1) For the month of November, due to exams (does the University think exams are more important than us!), we shall be in the Nursing lecture theatre one building across.
2) In late November the Japanese ship Shirase will make a port call at Fremantle. Shirase, which is based in Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is an icebreaker which is operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). It is a newly commissioned ship, which replaces the existing icebreaker of the same name.
3) Sunday November 15 is Shichi-go-san (7-5-3 Festival).

In Japan, when boys reach the ages of three and five, and when girls reach the ages of three and seven, their parents take them to a shrine to pray for their future health and growth. This festival is called Shichi-go-san, takes place on 15th November and dates back to the Meiji era (1868-1912). Shichi is the Japanese word meaning seven, go means five and san means three, respectively.

Children of these ages are dressed in traditional kimono (for girls) and haori jacket and hakama trousers (for boys) to celebrate their special day. However, recently Western-style dresses and suits have been worn instead of the more traditional attire.

After visiting the Shinto shrine, parents buy their children candy called chitose-ame as a symbol of their wish for their child to lead a long, prosperous life. Chitose literally means one thousand years, and ame means candy, while the bag holding the candy is illustrated with pictures of turtles and cranes (both animals symbolize longevity in Japan).

All items in the original Japanese language with English subtitles