Japan is a country rich in ceremony and ritual so in this episode I'm joined by Kyoto based writer Karen Lee Tawarayama to find out more about some of the milestone occasions in Japanese culture and how they're celebrated. We're chatting about Okuizome, a celebration of a child's first meal; Shichi-Go-San which celebrates children at the ages of three, five, and seven; and Seijin no Hi which marks coming of age into Japanese adulthood. Its a lovely episode which looks at family, food, and ritual.

A heartfelt thank you and arigato to Karen Lee Tawarayama for joining me for this episode. You can find out more about Karen and the wonderful team of Kyoto based writers who make up 'Writers in Kyoto' online at https://www.writersinkyoto.com/

For anyone who would like explore their creative side, Writers in Kyoto are running their seventh Annual Kyoto Writing Competition. Its open to entrants from all over the world with some fantastic prizes up for grabs. You can get information about the competition here Its an opportunity not to be missed.

Also, Writers in Kyoto published an anthology called Structures of Kyoto which explores the physical, spiritual, and artistic elements of Japan’s ancient capital and beckons one to “step through the gate” to interact with them. Its available through Amazon but you can find out more about it here.

Enjoy this episode and, as always, don't forget to rate and review the podcast.

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