Miss Walking Shoes

May the beauty Of Diwali season fill your home with happiness..Happy Diwali everyone!!!

“Learn from everyone. Follow no one.” -Buddha

Beautiful Kyoto!

So much peace! Nara, you have my

City of Deers - Nara, Japan

The first capital city of Japan is home to some twenty-seven million wild Sika deer who roam around the city freely. Deers used to enjoy the same Sacred status in Japan as Cow enjoys in India. :P In fact, killing a sacred deer was a capital offense until 1637 punishable by death.

Punishable or not, there is nothing more beautiful than to see animals roaming around freely. After all, it is as much their world as it is of humans. So I am experiencing some crazy deer love in the 'Deer Capital' of Japan. What are you guys doing?

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This happens only in Japan. :P

If there is ever a competition on who loves Rice the most, I feel Japan will win it easily. They drink Sake (rice beer), they celebrate with mochi (rice cake) and refer to every meal of the day as 'Gohan' or cooked rice. So breakfast becomes ASAgohan, lunch is HIRUgohan and BANgohan means dinner.

Given this much importance, even cultivation and harvest of rice is celebrated as festivals in Japan. Otaue Rice Planting Festival is one of the most famous festivals in Japan.

I had a chance to attend this festival at the oldest Shinto Shrine, Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine where this festival is celebrated every year since 211 in all its ancient glory. For you, here are the pictures and details on the festival rituals.

One of the best parts of traveling is that it makes you realize how unaware (or wrong) you are about the world. I read a lot, like REALLY a lot and I meet new people almost every few days and so somewhere I started believing that I know the World, and the Countries, and the geographies, and all the fascinating cultures and that I'm the best. :P

All it took was a three weeks journey to Japan for me to realize how wrong I was all along.

My earliest memory of Japan was hearing my dad talk about Japan’s dedication, innovation, and hard work. Since I am three, my dad is working with Japanese people and he is always full of admiration of their industries and work principles. Later, as a student, I learned of Hiroshima, WW2, Japan’s impossible geography and earthquakes. Then as a curious teenager about sumos, samurai and secret lives of Geisha. And now as a Communication and Research Professional, my top of mind associations of Japan are of hierarchy, robotics, video games, depression, workaholism, population crisis, obsession with po*******hy and kinky s*x culture. Well!! thanks to ubiquitous articles on the web.

And so I was taken by a big surprise when I landed in Japan. The country that I regarded nothing but industrial (and mechanical) turned out to be a country full of colors, culture, and festivity. For all my good luck, I landed in Japan during the matsuri (festive) months and I could attend 5 festivals in three weeks.

In fact, my host informed me that Japan has one of the highest numbers of festivals. And with my experience, I can tell you that these festivals are nothing short of spectacular and Japan is nothing short of wonderful.

I have almost started hating Facebook and social media and all the time it consumes. But I feel that it is my duty to show people what mainstream media ignores - the beautiful, bright and lively side of Japan.

So gear up people, it is time for Japan.

Spotted these little kids making an acquaintance during Obon ceremony. So much love!! So much to learn from them. ❤️ ❤️

Moshi Moshi😍

Time to explore

Cheers to the most colourful of countries. - with Leena Bansal

What a wonderful thing! To be alive beneath cherry blossoms.