Easy Japanese news in translation: Toy cars welcome ancestors' spirits in Yamagata Pref.
In part of the town of Yuza in Yamagata Prefecture, a local custom is getting underway as residents hang toy cars under the eaves of their houses to w
In the town of Yuza, located in Yamagata Prefecture, a unique tradition is beginning as locals attach toy cars to the eaves of their homes to greet the spirits of their ancestors during the approaching Bon season. Traditionally, residents would hang shoryouma, or horse-shaped figures, but when the plant material used to make these figures, known as makomo, became scarce around 50 to 60 years ago, residents switched to using toy cars as a substitute.
This practice marks the origin of the custom. Occasionally, toy airplanes are also hung to adorn the houses. This easy-to-understand Japanese news piece is sourced from Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun, a children's newspaper. It is an ideal resource for those learning Japanese, particularly beginners who have mastered hiragana and katakana.
Readers are encouraged to read the article in English first, followed by the Japanese version, or the other way around, to assess their comprehension. A new edition is released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 4 p.m. Japan time. Additional past installments can be accessed by clicking or tapping here. For intermediate learners who do not require English assistance, the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun site can be directly visited. Furigana, or hiragana, is included under each kanji character in the text.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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