JAPAN

The Seikan Tunnel (青函トンネル Seikan Tonneru or 青函隧道 Seikan Zuidō) is a 53.85-kilometre (33.46 mi) railway tunnel in Japan, with a 23.3-kilometre (14.5 mi) long portion under the seabed. The track level is about 140 metres (460 ft) below the seabed and 240 m (790 ft) below sea level.[1] It travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait — connecting Aomori Prefecture on the Japanese island Honshu and the island Hokkaido — as part of the Kaikyo Line of Hokkaido Railway Company. Source: Wikipedia.com

It’s winter in Japan and despite the very low temperatures we find a series of men wearing loincloths. These men struggle to catch a ball, the takara-no-tama, a treasure ball believed to bring good fortune to the person who lifts it over his head. This tradition is part of the “Tamaseseri Festival”, a festive feast that falls every year on January 3 during the New Year holidays. A tradition with its roots dating back to 500 years ago, the annual “Tamaseseri Festival” is one of the 3 main festivals of Kyushu, the third largest island in Japan.

It’s winter in Japan and despite the very low temperatures we find a series of men wearing loincloths. These men struggle to catch a ball, the takara-no-tama, a treasure ball believed to bring good fortune to the person who lifts it over his head. This tradition is part of the “Tamaseseri Festival”, a festive feast that falls every year on January 3 during the New Year holidays. A tradition with its roots dating back to 500 years ago, the annual “Tamaseseri Festival” is one of the 3 main festivals of Kyushu, the third largest island in Japan.