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Japanese
Culture
Booklet
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Japanese New Year O-shōgatsu おしょうがつ
1. Find the words below in the find-a-word box.
2. Write a meaning for each word.
3. Use your hiragana chart to write each word in hiragana.

I B T G A E Y S R E A F A F Q
S R Y V N X U F D Y M U M W B
H G U J E G P O O Z A K O X W
M A B O O J M X S W D U K R X
Y Q N R Y U H O V R I W J C G
S S O E S R W R P X H A C X E
L K Y T T A I C K N S R U W T
U S A N T S T H X E O A R Y O
V H E G O C U U C Q T I I L Q
Y Z V J A C Q K R E O Y V K V
U O J A G N E N I A S F O T F
C I Q R R Q R N L U K O X D B
V Q U X E D Z L K G N I F I P
S U U N O M O N O E V O D E G
F M I I O H U M P R I G N N F
FUKUWARAI __________________________________________
HANETSUKI __________________________________________
HATSUMODE __________________________________________
KARUTA __________________________________________
KOMA __________________________________________
NENGAJOU __________________________________________
OSECHIRYOURI __________________________________________
OTOSHIDAMA __________________________________________
SUGOROKU __________________________________________
SUUNOMONO __________________________________________

Coming-of-Age Day Seijinnohi せいじんのひ

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1. At what age do Japanese people officially become adults?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
2. What rights do they have at this age?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
3. Compare this to practices in Australia and any other country you may know about.
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4. What is the name of the kimono worn by women at this ceremony? Write it in hiragana
also.
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
5. How is this kimono different from other kimonos?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Setsubun せつぶんand bean-throwing

Write the following words/phrases in hiragana and explain the meaning/significance of them
in relation to ‘Setsubun’せつぶん.
1. Risshun ______________________
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
2. Mamemaki______________________
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
3. Masu ______________________
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
4. Oni wa soto. Fuku wa uchi. ______________________
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Hanami はなみ
1. Write the words hanami and sakura (cherry blossom) in hiragana.
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
2. When does this festival happen?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
3. What happens at this festival?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Of the three festivals, Seijinnohi せいじんのひ, Setsubun せつぶんor

Hanami はなみ, which would you most like to see? Explain your reasons
for your choice.
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Hina Matsuri ひなまつり

L L O D Z G G O R J G S R J G
H P W F V C I B Q I T N F F U
E J W Z U Y C R R X I A E F A
U N O I T C E L L O C I N J R
S Y K D Y A S Z F M J C U H D
Y S C R A C K E R S L I T R S
S A E J S E O F N U C S R W Q
W S R N Q C E S F G F U O P C
J C E P I S R I T X M M F L A
Y C V R T P T E W U Q S L A H
V Q H I P U P C E X M P B T M
Z U V M A M R A X N Q E L F L
H A Q E Y J E Q H U G A S O J
L X B R O R E P M E E I Y R P
T H R O N E Q E Q H B N S M I

1. Find the following words in the find-a-word box.

BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION COSTUMES

CRACKERS
DOLL EMPEROR EMPRESS
FESTIVAL
FORTUNE GIRLS GUARDS
HAPPINESS
HEALTH MUSICIANS PLATFORM
PRAY
SCREEN THRONE

2. Using each of the word clues in question 1 of Hina Matsuri find-a-word, write a summary
describing what Hina matsuri is.

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Children's Day Kodomonohi こどものひ

1. When does this festival take place?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
2. What happens at this festival?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
3. What is the name of the symbol chosen for this day?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
4. Why was this symbol chosen?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
5. What is the name of the streamers displayed for this festival? Write the name in hiragana
also.
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

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6. In the box below, design a streamer for your family – one carp for each child. The oldest
child’s carp is biggest and goes at the top. Use colours and patterns to suit each child.

7. Complete the Kodomonohi こどものひfind-a-word.

N S J C U Y Z B Z S W M
S O T F Y V U H X R A N
J S I R S I I V T E R H
S G E T E F Y N R M R U
P T J C A N E P O A I Y
R N F S C R G W A E O N
A Q I M D U B T R R R F
C R Z L K B S E H T S V
I B I Q F C G J L S P N
R H K W T T S D O E Z M
C F E S T I V A L A C R
Y A D I L O H O B L E Z
CARP CELEBRATION
CHILDREN FESTIVAL
HOLIDAY IRIS
STREAMERS STRENGTH
SUCCESS WARRIORS

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 Star festival Tanabata たなばた

S S W F A A A S A H Z B
R E L I X T U N T N P A
A H F Y S M A N I D O M
T C C K M H E B H H S B
S N W E O V E W A C C O
Y A R I E P D S Q N N O
Y R V S A L T A I R A M
Q B D E T A R A P E S T
U Y S P I R T S V M A Z
R P P A P E R X W E U D
V W Y T B E C A F C G L
C D C F Q C O C D B O A

1. Find the following words in the find-a-word box.

ALTAIR BAMBOO
BRANCHES CHINA
PAPER SEPARATED
SEVENTH STARS
STRIPS SUMMER
TANABATA VEGA
WISHES

2. Use these words to write a summary about what Tananbata is.

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 Bon holidays O-bon おぼん
Find some information about “Bon”, then fill in the gaps of the summary below with an
appropriate word or words.

The Bon _________________ is one of the biggest traditional _________ to be

held in the year. It is held in _______________ each year and its purpose is to
honour one’s ____________________.

A small _______________ (called the _____________ in Japanese) is lit

outside the house to _____________ deceased family members, who are said to
_______________ the home at this time.

At the end of Bon, the spirits are sent off again with another __________
called ________________. Some places send _______________ down
_____________________.

A big part of Bon is ___________________. People might put on

________________________ and go to the _________________ for this.

This festival happens during _________________________ for school

children. It is often a chance for them to _________________________.

Respect-for-the-Aged Day Keirōnohi けいろうのひ

1. When is this holiday?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
2. What is the purpose of this holiday?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
3. Why will this holiday have more importance in the future?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
4. Do you think it would be good to have a similar holiday in Australia? Why/why not?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

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 Seven Five Three Shichi-go-san しちごさん

S P S B B T U R T L E S
T H O E E C E Q Y L G L
W Y I E N B U V T R D R
S O R N M A K V I X U I
U H Z E T I R H V J C G
T L V H M O D C E C O N
D O J O A D K S G A D R
N N N N D O T H N N H N
J O S O L Q R R O D A P
A M A K A H T I L Y Q J
S E V E N W L N O Z D I
X E V I F F C E V N D X

1. Find the following words in the find-a-word box.

BOYS CANDY
CRANES FIVE
GIRLS HAKAMA
HAORI KIMONO
LONGEVITY NOVEMBER
SEVEN SHINTO
SHRINE THREE
TURTLES

2. Use these words to write a summary about what Shichigosan is.

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____________________________________________________
________

New Year’s Eve Ōmisoka おおみそか

1. Write the two words below in hiragana and explain the significance of them to Japanese
people.
Omisoka ____________________
Toshikoshi ___________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____
2. How many times are the temple bells rung near midnight?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
3. How long does this take?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
4. Why does it take this long?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
5. What is the significance of the number?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
6. How do New Year celebrations differ between Australia and Japan?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

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7. Find the following words in the find-a-word box.

BEGINNING BELLS CLEANING

ENLIGHTENMENT FAMILIES FRIENDS
HOLIDAY HOMETOWN OMISOKA
PREPARATION PROSPEROUS RELATIVES
RINGING TEMPLE TOSHIKOSHI

T G N I N A E L C I K N T Y K
H N S W B N I X H E R O E I P
M Y E E O B C S X F E I M X G
S P L M J T O H A R L T P Z T
B L F S N K E M T G A A L Z G
S E I R I E I M N T T R E N P
Y E G H I L T I O Y I A O T W
U R S I I E G H T H V P E A Y
C O X E N N N S G R E E Z K K
T Z S Q I N A D S I S R E O I
P E H R P B I L S U L P K S C
H O L I D A Y N Y V D N R I I
M P X U V X M Y G C C Z E M L
R I V S S C F T J Z H N F O H
P R O S P E R O U S X F W H C

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