about a local festival of my hometown.

My hometown has the head shrine of Yebisu which is a Japanese deity of commercial activity. From January 9 to 11, the biggest festival of Yebisu shrine is held, which is called To-Ka Yebisu. More than a million people come to the shrine to pray for good luck and prosperity of the year. Nishinomiya is famous for sake production. You can find a lot of sake barrels in the main hall of the shrine. They are wrapped with woven straw and have decorative labels identifying the makers.

After praying in the main hall, people buy bamboo branches which have many good luck charms to hang on the wall of their own houses or offices in hope of good luck of the year.

about a famous festival in Japan.

I will tell you about Aoi festival in Kyoto. This festival is one of the three big festivals in Kyoto. It is dedicated to Kamo Shrines and is held on May 15. The name of this festival comes from the leaves of aoi which is hollyhock in English. The leaves are used to decorate the heads of participants in the procession. This festival has been held yearly for more than a thousand years. You can find the description about The Aoi Festival in the Tale of Genji which is one of the most famous and most refined stories written in the Heian Period (about one thousand years ago).