Vox Juvenis Journalism

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The issue started with a theme about springtime. But, as students explored their topics further, they realized they had more to talk about than spring. This is what they came up with.

The issue opens with the springtime theme. Enrico details seasonal festivals in Japan. Nicolas discusses a springtime and summertime activity, rock climbing. And Jorge shares some facts about skateboarding.

Following springtime, the writers feature stories that peaked their curiosities. Nicolas discusses youth in gangs, Jesse gives a brief history of one of his favorite bands, Garret introduces Rajneesh, and Andrew tells some local ghost stories.

Finally, Garret and Joel conclude the news section with articles featuring Illuminati conspiracy theories and a history of Nikola Tesla.

Enjoy the issue and please share any feedback with us at www.voxjuvenis.com!

Sincerely,

Vox Juvenis Team

Online Articles:

Japanese Spring Festivals by Enrico

Rock Climbing by Nicolas

Skateboarding by Jorge

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh by Garret

Ghost Stories by Andrew

Youth in Gangs by Nicolas

Metallica by Jesse

Coincidence or Illuminati? by Garret

Nikola Tesla by Joel

We have been rebuilding and strengthening our newspaper team over the past year. This has meant some changes and some time away from our blog. But, we are back and ready to post some new articles. Just to catch up from where we left off, here are some featured articles from some of our  print editions from the past year.

August 2012: Pit Bull Edition

Misconceptions about Pit Bulls:  By Jaccob

We here at the Klahre house have a pit bull named Annabelle.  She is an example that not all pit bulls are violent and aggressive.  She puts a stop to all those negative misconceptions about pit bulls–she’s a great dog and a wonderful friend.  I interviewed Maya, Annabelle’s owner, about how she found Annabelle.

Where did you find Annabelle?

I got Annabelle at Adopt-a-Dog shelter in Odell. I paid an adoption fee for her and that money is a donation mostly for the shelter to get food and vaccinations and all the stuff that dogs need.

And what do they do there?

They have lots of dogs that they have rescued from around the area. They also have foster homes that dogs go in and Annabelle was actually in a foster home.

 How did you get her if she was in a foster home?

She was posted on their website as ready for adoption with this picture. I thought I would bring it to show you because she was so adorable in the picture and the description of her on the website was that she was really mellow, calm around other dogs, and cats, people and kids, squirrels and it’s seemed like she would be a good fit for me.

Do you know why she’s so calm?

I think she was pretty calm when I got her.  She wasn’t real high strung and I think also I’m pretty calm around her, so I think that probably helps. She also probably had puppies and I think once a dog has puppies they sometimes mellow out.

Do you know what happened to the puppies?

I don’t.  She was just found wandering the streets of White Salmon and they said they didn’t know where they came from.  They were going to put her down that night because they didn’t know what her story was and there was no home for her and then a foster home called  they said they would take her.

Do you know how old she is?

They guess she’s four based on looking at her teeth.

Do you know how old that is in human years?

I don’t–what’s the math? Usually four time seven.

So she’s 28?

Yeah, about 28.

So how does she react to other hyperactive dogs?

She plays with them if they want to play and run around but if they are really aggressive she usually backs off.  She will be pretty defensive or she’ll run around and curl up like that and be mellow.

From your perspective on things, are pit bulls always dangerous?

Annabelle is a pretty good example that they are not always dangerous but a lot of people have that misconception, or pre-conception.

Can they be good family dogs?

Well, Annabelle can be.  She’s really good around kids, she’s really good around you guys–you’re not little kids, but she’s really good around the school and she’s pretty mellow around kids and animals.  Yeah, I think she could be.

Do you think she could be a good guard dog too?

She started barking in the new house I live in, where a lot of people ride their bikes past or walking or even sounds at night–she’ll start barking and she sounds a little bit scarier then she looks, so I think she can be.

Do you love Annabelle?

Yeah!

October 2012 Issue: Outside Influences

The Influence of Media on Youth: By Tyler

Ever wonder what makes you want to buy the things that don’t seem necessary at all?  In all truth, we’re being psychologically tricked into purchasing the “coolest” product brand.  I interviewed Heidi Venture and she gave me some facts about the media and why the advertisers do what they do.

Who decides what type of advertising is appropriate to show younger people?

I think mostly the advertisers decide, there are some restrictions in the law. There have been some laws made about what can be shown in Saturday cartoons and what can’t be shown after nine o’clock, but for the most part, it’s the advertisers.

What are the effects of subliminal messaging?

I don’t know a whole lot about this, I know some of it has been debunked, that some of the stuff, they used to flash a picture of popcorn at the theatre and they thought that would people would buy more popcorn, but it didn’t actually work.

When do advertisers plan ad campaigns to take place during certain times?

Well, the Super bowl has a huge audience, and I would think that a lot of guys your age are watching that. I even know people who don’t like football part of the Super bowl, I often watch the Half-time Show. That may be the only football I watch. The advertisers plan for a good audience, and they plan for times when the demographic, the young people who want to get the money out of their pockets, are watching. A lot of TV shows are planned to appeal to certain demographic that the shows will appeal to the advertisers, and the advertisers will give money to the people who make the show.

Where do advertisers affect younger people the most?

Well it seems like computer advertising hasn’t hit its stride, it doesn’t seem very effective to me. I say that because I don’t click on many ads, and even when I do, will seldom do anything about it. I think that TV is probably still the place where most particularly teenagers are being exposed to ads.

Magazines, I think teenagers read a lot of magazines as well. A lot of teenagers read electronic arts, game magazines, and just different things that teens like.

Why do some advertisers influence younger people to purchase something unhealthy for them, like cigarettes or alcohol?

Well, if you can get a kid started on your brand of cigarettes when he or she is sixteen, they’re likely to get addicted and be a customer for years and years. There’s a high money value on getting kids started on that product. It’s not just addictive products, if you can get a girl to start using hair products when she’s fifteen; she’s likely to use their products for years and years.

Teenagers are open to being manipulated by advertisers to become customers for their product for years.

How do advertisers persuade people to buy their products?

They have psychological experts that have done many experiments with different variables to find out which way to advertise works better. Advertisers make a living on finding ways to advertise their stuff that makes a lot of people want their product. Sex sells, that’s why so many ads are sexualized, it gets people’s attention a bit more than other options.

November 2012 Issue: November Events

Desert Storm Veteran: By Jimmy and Mike

Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein organized an invasion of Kuwait in the 1990s; this was alarming to the other powers of the East. Saudi Arabia and Egypt called the US and other western nations for assistance. This is where we got involved with the massive air offence against Hussein known as Desert Storm.

To get a better perspective, we interviewed Alisha Hamel, who served in the Army.

What part in the world did you serve?

I served in Saudi Arabia.

Was the area you served in different from your hometown?

It was very different. We went from cold and rainy, to very hot and dry. Women here can drive cars and to be out in public. While there we weren’t allowed to drive cars, or to go out in the public without being fully covered up, and they preferred that we had a male escort.

How long was your tour duty?

We were there for 9 months.

How long were you in the country?

I was there for 9 months.

Do you feel that your military service affected your life in a positive way?

Yes, it certainly opened doors that I never knew were there. I had a chance to see the world and participate in creating history.

What motivated you to serve in the military?

Initially it was money for college, and then it became a family thing, and a way of life.

Which branch of the military did you join, and why did you choose that branch of the military?

I originally wanted to join the Air Force, but they didn’t have any jobs that I was interested in doing, but the Army does pretty much everything, so most anything that I wanted to do; I could do in the Army. I started as an executive assistant, but I also did public affairs, personnel, logistics history, and many other things. Where else could I have driven a tank?

What type of job did you perform while in the country?

I was an S-1 for a provisional movement control battalion so I did administrative work. Getting people paid, promoted, and making sure they were taken care of. Our battalion controlled all movement in the war. Air movement into and out of country, sea port movement, and rail and highway.

When did you serve in the military?

I joined in 1985, and I’m still in the Oregon Army National Guard as the Command Historian for the Oregon National Guard.

Was it hard to be so far away from your family and loved ones?

It was very hard, but if I had to go, it was the best time. I wasn’t married and I didn’t have kids yet and it was a real adventure to go, and experience a different culture.

December 2012: Holiday Issue

A Date That Will Live in Infamy: By Elias

The Japanese attacked the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941. This attack would prove to be a mistake for which the consequences would extend throughout the war and well into Japan’s post-war future. This mistake would force the United States into World War II.

Japan was angered by United States’ resistance to their expansion into the South Pacific (the Philippines and the Virgin Islands), so they attacked the United States Pacific fleet docked at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.  The United States declare war on Japan on December 8, 1941.  On that same day, more than one million men enlisted in the U.S. armed forces.

The United States had only been remotely involved in many aspects of the war up until this point, but there was friction between President Roosevelt and other U.S. leaders regarding the exact role the United States should take before the attack. The U.S. navy had begun to build up the Pacific fleets that were stationed in Pearl Harbor.

The original intent by the Japanese was to deliver an ultimatum of war prior to actual attack of the United States. Japan’s foreign minister and the navy supreme command could not agree on an ultimatum of war to be delivered to the United States. This final act of negligence led to U.S. involvement in World War II.

On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, everything was normal as the Japanese bombers and torpedo planes approached the U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters at Pearl Harbor. Sundays on the base were more relaxed than the usual weekly schedule. Crews rose late and officers often stayed ashore. On this day, almost all of the ships’ guns were unmanned, and much of the ammunition was locked up. Two of the three Pacific fleet’s aircraft carriers were at sea. The third was back in the United States being refitted.

At 7:55 a.m., the bombers and torpedo attack planes broke into the morning’s calmness. The first wave of Japanese planes arrived to find the base virtually defenseless. By the end of the second wave of planes two hours later, 21 American ships had been sunk or damaged. Almost the entire U.S. Pacific Fleet had been decimated at the cost of only 29 Japanese planes.

Five of the eight battle ships stationed in the harbor that day were sunk; eleven smaller ships (cruisers and destroyers) were also badly damaged. There were 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians killed, and 1,178 people were wounded.

The U.S.S. Arizona had the most casualties with 1,177 service members killed when a 1,760-pound bomb struck it causing the ammunition on board to explode.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese failure to comply with international protocol regarding the declaration of war prior to a bombing influenced the U.S. decision to enter the war.

We hope you enjoyed a glimpse at some of our past articles. We will be publishing the full February issue online at the beginning of the month. We look forward to hearing from you in the comment section!

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The constantly evolving and adapting nature of the Vox Juvenis team makes it a challenging but wonderful class.  This issue reflects the different personalities and interests of the team members.

This month, the Vox Juvenis team bid farewell to one of the teachers, Jennifer Waters, who is devoting more time to her Langauge Arts and History classes. In her place,  Sarah Wood, formerly known as Sarah Cullington and one of the founding members of the newspaper, rejoined the Vox Juvenis team after a year of maternity leave. New students joined the group as well and everyone rose to the challenge of adjusting to change.

We put our heads together and debated the theme of the next issue. Everyone had fresh new ideas, seemingly all over the map. There was talk about fashion, conspiracy theory, wolves, the economy, and war. When it came down to it, we discovered that our next issue covered topics of the world.

There is no one specific category in this issue. Instead, the writers sought topics of their interest and hope to portray them in a way that will interest you. Devion researched the value of the U.S. dollar against other major world currencies. Joel recounts the atrocities of the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup in France during World War II. Andrew sat down with our very own Larry James to hear about his experience as a Vietnam Veteran.

There are also stories with a lighter tone. Enrico discusses the  roles of wolves in our lives. Jesse gives a brief history of the Raiders football team. Antonio shares his family’s favorite Mexican dishes. Jorge dishes some fashion advice in his article on “Swag.”

You will also find the student of the month and an ongoing fiction story by Enrico. Please enjoy and leave us comments!

Online Articles:

The U.S. Dollar by Devion

Vel d’Hiv Roundup by Joel

Interview with a Vietnam Veteran by Andrew

Wolves: The Beast of Society by Enrico

The History of the Oakland Raiders by Jesse

Interview with Grandma Emma on Tamales by Antonio

Swag by Jorge

Article by Joel

Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist best known for the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electrical supply system in the early 1900’s. AC is the form in which electric power is delivered to businesses and residences. The usual waveform of an AC power circuit is a sine wave, and pretty much powers everything that uses electricity. It is basically the form of energy that powers all things electrical. Tesla started working in the telephony and electrical fields before immigrating to the United States in 1884 to work for Thomas Edison, but soon went off on his own, setting up laboratories/companies to develop a range of electrical devices. Tesla’s achievements and his abilities as a showman, demonstrating his miraculous inventions, made him world-famous. Because of the nature of his work, Tesla gained a reputation as an archetypal, “mad scientist”. His IQ was between 220 and 320, and he could perform integral calculus in his head at the age of fourteen. Although he made a great deal of money from his inventions, he spent a large quantity of it on numerous experiments over the years. He died penniless and in debt on the 7th of January, 1943.

Teleforce is a charged particle beam projector that Nikola Tesla claimed to have conceived of after studying the Van de Graaff generator. Tesla described the weapon as being able to be used against ground-based infantry or for anti-aircraft purposes. It was mentioned publicly in the New York Sun and The New York Times on July 11, 1934. The press called it a “peace ray” or death ray. Tesla gave the following description of the particle beam weapon: “[The nozzle would] send concentrated beams of particles through the free air, of such tremendous energy that they will bring down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 200 miles from a defending nation’s border and will cause armies to drop dead in their tracks.”

A Tesla coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit. It is used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity. Tesla coils can produce higher voltages than other artificial sources of high-voltage discharges, electrostatic machines. Tesla experimented with a number of different configurations consisting of two, or sometimes three, coupled resonant electric circuits.

Thomas Edison hired Tesla to work for his Edison Machine Works. Tesla’s work for Edison began with simple electrical engineering and quickly progressed to solving some of the company’s most difficult problems. Tesla was even offered the task of completely redesigning the Edison Company’s direct current generators. In 1885, Tesla claimed that he could redesign Edison’s inefficient motor and generators, making an improvement in both service and economy. Tesla fulfilled the task and inquired about payment. Edison, claiming that he was only joking, replied, “Tesla, you don’t understand our American humor.” Instead, Edison offered a $10 a week raise over Tesla’s $18 per week salary; Tesla refused the offer and immediately resigned.

Tesla was then hired by George Westinghouse to work for Westinghouse Electric causing “The War of Currents.” In the War of Currents era in the late 1880s, George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison became adversaries due to Edison’s promotion of direct current for electric power distribution over alternating current. Tesla invented and held several instrumental patents in the Westinghouse alternating-current system. JP Morgan, an employee of Edison Electric, stole several of Nikola Tesla’s alternating current patents and then bought out Edison’s company, changing the name to General Electric, and using someone else’s inventions and someone else’s company ended The War of Currents.

Article by Garret

Is it possible a secret society can pull strings in the nature of the world?

Many people believe in the illuminati, others have there own opinions on the super weird coincidences of two of our most famous president’s assassinations. What do you believe? Before you decide take a look at these.

• Lincoln was voted president in 1860.
• J.F.K was voted president in 1960.
• The names Kennedy and Lincoln both contain seven letters.
• Kennedy and Lincoln both lost three children while living in the White House.
• Both presidents were shot on a Friday.
• Both presidents were shot in the head.
• Lincoln’s secretary’s last name was Kennedy.
• Kennedy’s secretary’s last name was Lincoln.
• Both were killed by Southerners.
• John Wilkes Booth, who shot Lincoln, was born in1808.
• Lee Harvey Oswald who shot Kennedy, was born 1908.
• Both assassins’ names are composed of fifteen letters.
• Lincoln was killed in a theater named Ford.
• Kennedy was shot in a car named Lincoln made by Ford.
• Booth ran from a theater to a warehouse.
• Oswald ran from a building into a warehouse and was found in theater.
• Booth and Oswald were both assassinated before their trials.

This next one is my favorite,

• A week before Lincoln was shot he was in Monroe, Maryland.
• A week before J.F.K was shot he was having a sexual affair with Marilyn Monroe.

Source: Brain Buster and mush.com

Now decide for yourself, coincidence or Illuminati?

Article by Jesse

Metallica is one of my favorite bands. I like them because I am into rock and roll, they have good songs and when I am mad I listen to them and it helps me to calm down.

Lars Ulrich started Metallica in 1980, by putting an advertisement in a magazine. James Hetfield. Ron Mcgoveny and Dave Mustain joined the band. The current band members are James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo. Their first demo was ‘No Life Tell Leather.’

On April 1983 they came out with their first album ‘Kill Em All.’ In 1984 they came out with their second album called ‘Ride the Lighting.’ In 1986 they came out with their third album which is one of my favorites, ‘Master of Puppets,’ and toured with Ozzy Osbourne.

In over one month Metallica is going to go on a tour.  I believe it is going to be awesome. I personally cannot wait for them to come out with a new album.

Article by Nicolas

According to www.gangsandkids.com, a survey in 1997, the statistics of gang involvement and other at risk youth was mostly high in large cities. The percentage was 72% in large cities, suburban 56%,  small city 33%, rural city 24%, and its most of the time 51% overall. The highest percentage of gang reporting is on the West side of the United States. The number of reported gang members is 655,385. Out of those gang members there are at least 18,267 gangs just in the United States.

About 3.2% of the population, 1 in every 32, was incarcerated, on probation, or parole at the end of 2005. The most accurate percentage of inmates by offense looks something like this: 9% Rape/Sexual assault, 10% Public order, 11% Assault/Other violent, 13% Murder/ manslaughter, 14% Robbery, 21%Drugs, 22% Property theft. These are the statistics of what the crime rate looked like in 2005

Every kid who joins a gang has a different reason why they join a gang. The majority join for reputation and recognition. The youth usually get drawn in by parties and drugs. Young people engage in illegal activity sometimes including a weapon that is sometimes used.

I asked a few people about their experiences in gangs. One of the youth I asked said he started getting in trouble with drugs having an affect on him. He mentioned he fought while on drugs and drinking alcohol. Substance abuse has a major influence on committing serious offenses.

Another youth told me a story about how he got into the gang life. He told me, “First of all I started using drugs, eventually went to a party, and met a gang member. He asked me if I wanted to sell drugs for him. Two months later he asked me if I wanted to get jumped in. I felt an empty spot inside of me, so I got jumped in. What made me want to go out with my friends and put in work was getting recognition. I was using meth, weed, alcohol, and even cocaine. I used drugs and alcohol to make me feel energized, brave, pumped up, and prepared for the unexpected.” Gang  life led this youth to use drugs and eventually landed him in trouble.

Article by Andrew

Columbia Gorge Hotel and Spa have had many stories of ghostly encounters. Here are only a few that caught my eye.

First of all a man in a top hat has been spotted quite a few times. He is known to whistle a weird tune .When he is around people tend to smell tobacco burning although it is a non-smoking area. When employees have something weird happen they say it is Oscar, the man in the top hat.

Next, but also very weird, there is a room that has furniture moved behind the door so you cannot get in. It is believed to be a patient from when the hotel was a nursing home. She used to get abused by the staff so she would put furniture behind the door so she could be warned when someone was coming.

The finale is one that may break your heart. This lady in a white wedding gown has been spotted in the garden and in the tower. She took her life during her wedding. She was unhappy about the whole thing so she killed herself.

Article by Garret

The beginning to the bioterrorist attack in The Dalles, Oregon, starts here. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh is a man of great respect in some places and huge hate in others.

Bhagwan was a man who traveled through all of India as a public speaker. He led a group of Indians native to India as a cult. Eventually Bhagwan and his fiancé, Acrotalli Joneses, moved to Portland, Oregon in search of appropriate health care for Bhagwan who suffered from Fibromyalgia.

The doctors they found all told him the same thing. They gave him lots of muscle relaxers and physical exercise guides and told him that was as much as they could help him. He had refused to take the medications because his beliefs said God and Earth would heal and care for his physical and mental health. Why would he seek out medical help in the first place if he believed those beliefs?

After two years of fighting the disease and praying to God, he believed he was struck by lightning sent by God and miraculously healed. In 1981, because of the healing and his new love of Oregon, he purchased the Big Muddy Ranch in Antelope for his cult and himself to live on. Bhagwan purchased the Ranch for a mere 5.75 million dollars. The ranch is valued at 13.7 million dollars today.

Read the Rajneesh Terrorist Cult next edition to learn more on The Dalles terrorist attack.

By Jorge

Part of rock climbing is to have strong physical and mental skills. Some of the gear that rock climbers use includes a wide variety of belay devices, descenders, carabiners, and harnesses for both adults and kids. Helmets are sometimes required when climbing. The recommended rope would be a high endurance climbing rope along with a chalk bag with chalk for better grip and crash pads if indoors.

Outdoor climbing on ice can be very dangerous. The protection and equipment needed to climb on such a slick surface would include crampons, gaiters, ice axes, ice axe hammers, ice protection, ice accessories, and snow shoes. In most cases, ice climbers need more strength to accomplish the climb.

Today a lot of rock climbers come from indoor replicas of a layout of a mountain. The purpose of doing this is to get these rock climbers ready for the real thing. Starting out indoors is much easier to start as a beginner, so that the person gets flexible with the challenges of movement, and also the strategy to use for tough climbs. The cost to begin with the equipment would look similar to this: Shoes: $125, Harness: $50, Chalk and chalk bag: $20,Belay device and locking carabiner: $25,and Helmet: $75. The total cost would be around three hundred dollars.

In “History of Rock Climbing” on Wikipedia.org, it explains that rock climbing first began in the 19th century with very few places to go climbing. The following three are some of the places in which many rock climbers first began: Elbe Sandstone in Saxony, Lake district in England, and Dolomites in Italy . These places got their names as becoming an alpine climbing activity to an athletic sport. People now can participate in many events occurring around the world that involve completing the toughest climbs only few have achieved.

Article by Nicolas

Part of rock climbing is to have strong physical and mental skills. Some of the gear that rock climbers use includes a wide variety of belay devices, descenders, carabiners, and harnesses for both adults and kids. Helmets are sometimes required when climbing. The recommended rope would be a high endurance climbing rope along with a chalk bag with chalk for better grip and crash pads if indoors.

Outdoor climbing on ice can be very dangerous. The protection and equipment needed to climb on such a slick surface would include crampons, gaiters, ice axes, ice axe hammers, ice protection, ice accessories, and snow shoes. In most cases, ice climbers need more strength to accomplish the climb.

Today a lot of rock climbers come from indoor replicas of a layout of a mountain. The purpose of doing this is to get these rock climbers ready for the real thing. Starting out indoors is much easier to start as a beginner, so that the person gets flexible with the challenges of movement, and also the strategy to use for tough climbs. The cost to begin with the equipment would look similar to this: Shoes: $125, Harness: $50, Chalk and chalk bag: $20,Belay device and locking carabiner: $25,and Helmet: $75. The total cost would be around three hundred dollars.

In “History of Rock Climbing” on Wikipedia.org, it explains that rock climbing first began in the 19th century with very few places to go climbing. The following three are some of the places in which many rock climbers first began: Elbe Sandstone in Saxony, Lake district in England, and Dolomites in Italy . These places got their names as becoming an alpine climbing activity to an athletic sport. People now can participate in many events occurring around the world that involve completing the toughest climbs only few have achieved.

Article by Enrico

On April 8th, there is the floral festival known as Hana Matsuri. It celebrates the Buddha’s birth on April 18. As part of Japanese culture, small buildings are decorated with flowers and a baby Buddha is placed inside.

According to Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), on the second and third Sundays of April, the Kamakura festival is celebrated. The main two performances are the Shizuka no Mai which is performed of the second Sunday and the Yabusame on the third. Shisuka no Mai is a dance, which is a replica of the dance that Princesses Shizuka did in front of her enemies. Showing her love for a warlord named Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune, Shizuka was taken by an enemy warlord named Minamoto-no-Yoritomo. Her dance enraged him. She was imprisoned and her children were killed. On the third Sunday, Yabusame takes place. It is a show of the ancient skill of the samurai. They ride a horse and shoot arrows on a 200-meter long track. Yabusame is a festival because there aren’t that many skilled archers now, like there were in the past, and they want to show people skilled archers.

Kanda Matsuri is the third largest festival in Japan; it’s also called Tenka Matsuri. The main festivals happen on the odd years, and on the even years, there are smaller festivals. When this had been decided was in the Edo period, the festivals back then we’re huge. Parades are big in Japanese culture. The things that are in the Tenka Maturi parade are portable shrines and floats. On some years, there are about 300 people marching in the parade, according to JNTO.

JNTO says Takayama is one of the most beautiful festivals in Japan. The Takayama is a name for two different festivals, which are the Sanno Matsuri in the spring and the Hachiman Matsuri in the fall. There are over 1,000 people in the parade. The way it’s performed can make people feel like they are back in the old days of Japan. One of the most popular parts is the Tokeiraku parade, which are people wearing hats that are covered in bird feathers and they drum and ring bells. Then the Shishimai lion dancers come, after which, the dancers wear a mechanical lion’s head. They are followed by 10 gorgeous floats, which are called Yatai. When evening hits, 100 paper lanterns are lit and hung around the floats, making a beautiful sight. Technologies from east and west Japan from the Edo period are used in the making and running the parade.

Japanese festivals are huge and very beautiful. That’s why many tourists go to Japan. If you can’t go to Japan, one way to look would be to find them online. You’ll find out that Japan is the world’s most beautiful place because of these festivals.