NOTE ! The three happy Links below are all the SAME -- symbolic of the three identical "rope stubs" hanging below the sacred SHIMENAWA of the Shinto Shrines. In honor of CHILDREN'S DAY, I have made EASY TO ACCESS this SAME LINK by repeating it three times. Let it NEVER be said that I don't make life easy for those that read my captions ! I'm posting here on MAY 5th in the Western Hemisphere -- May 6th in JAPAN ! I should have posted YESTERDAY to make it Japan Time -- CHILDREN'S DAY !!! But, I was stuck up in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania (far away from my computer) playing with kids from China and the USA. Yet Japan, near and dear to my heart, holds fond memories of Happy Children, and the delightful way that God in Heaven decided to bring them into the world. Oh Happy Day for Men and Women. OK....IT'S RANT TIME ! And speaking of Shinto, Japan's native religion, there is a FAMILY ORIENTED Shinto Festival held in the well-known city of KAWASAKI -- center stage of Japan's industrial might. The pictures do not do it justice, as the cameraman seems to have been distracted from showing the hordes of Families with Children that REALLY DO fill the streets during this popular Japanese affair. I personally do not know what could have distracted him, but..... babibubebo.com/2008/04/07/kanamara-matsuri-festival-of-th... (Japan Photo Guide -- A Photographer’s Travel Guide to Japan) PLEASE READ THE TEXT AS WELL !!! Due to PAST COMPLAINTS about my captions SUBJECTIVELY pointing out certain aspects of Japan's UNIQUE CULTURE, I will remain quiet this time, and simply post this joyous link to one of Japan's many happy FAMILY FESTIVALS where CHILDREN and ADULTS alike remember from whence they came, and HOW they came. Not to mention "Good Luck" protection against so many "nasty little bugs" out you might catch out there in the big, bad world ! HEY...IT'S CHILDREN'S DAY !!! PLEASE LOOK CAREFULLY AT EVERY PICTURE, and enjoy as well the VIDEO AND OTHER LINKS. Look at all of the CHILDREN having FUN and HAPPINESS at a TRUE JAPANESE CULTURAL EVENT !!! It warms my heart every time.....bringing wistful tears to my eyes....(sniff). babibubebo.com/2008/04/07/kanamara-matsuri-festival-of-th... Let it never be said that OKINAWA_SOBA has no respect for Japan and its culture, religion, and traditions --- as you view this wonderful annual FAMILY FESTIVAL in Modern day Japan. babibubebo.com/2008/04/07/kanamara-matsuri-festival-of-th... God Bless Japan. PS. Did I repeat myself ??? Ca.1900-05 photo attrib to KOZABURAO TAMAMURA of Yokohama, and published as a hand-tinted Lantern Slide by T. TAKAGI of Kobe.