If Nokogiri-yama was in Kyoto, it would almost certainly be an A-list tourist attraction. It has a huge daibutsu (great Buddha statue) that is twice as big as the more famous versions in Kamakura and Nara, and also an incredible image of the Kannon Bosatsu carved into the side of a cliff. There are also about 1,500 rakan butsuzo on the mountain, and it offers wonderful views of Tokyo Bay. Unfort..

If you ever have a chance to get out to a small, local festival near where you live, you’ll probably find that they can be surprisingly entertaining. This kid’s dancing festival is held in Higashi-Omiya, a tiny station north of Tokyo every August. They have kids from the local dance schools perform, and I find watching little four-year-olds dancing to Hip Hop songs with lyrics about “bitch..

I’m a bit of a samugariya (someone who hates the cold), so I found myself shivering just watching these guys pouring ice-cold water over themselves. It’s part of the annual Daikoku Matsuri at the famous Kanda Myojin Shrine in downtown Tokyo, and is an ancient purification rite. Originally, it was for people who had just turned 20, which is the age when one legally becomes an adult in Japan. ..

On  New Year’s day, my in-laws went to visit some local shrines near their house, and I went along to take photos. I found the tiny rural temples really interesting – it’s a huge change from the crowds in the big-city shrines. More photos after the jump.