Around Moscow

This weekend in front of the "Garage" Museum in the Gorky Park the festival of Japanese culture J-FEST held a place. Anyone could get acquainted with the traditional Japanese culture of summer festivals. J-FEST Summer 2017 is a variation on the theme of traditional festivals "Natsu Matsuri", which are held throughout Japan from July to August. At this time, people decorate streets with lanterns, sell souvenirs and gifts, prepare special food and wear traditional yukata summer kimonos. Mass walks are accompanied by national Bon-Odori dances around a special podium, to which everyone can join. Masterclasses on calligraphy and tea ceremony, ikebana and bonsai, dancing and martial arts (aikido, judo, karate, and ninjutsu) were held.  At the festival, people played traditional games of go and shogi, tried Japanese cuisine, get acquainted with the products of Japanese companies. More photos in my  J-Fest Summer 2017 Album

Most Moscow guests come to the Alexander Garden to see a Changing of the Guard Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (is a war memorial, dedicated to the Soviet soldiers killed during World War II). A Changing of the Guard Ceremony takes place every hour. But very few tourists remain to see a very touching, home-like moment, which always comes in 5-10 minutes after changing of the guard. The officer approaches with a ceremonial step to each guard. He carefully, like his own mother, tells him something, corrects him a hat, uniform, tie, and weapon position. Also, I want to explain that this is an elite Kremlin Regiment, where soldiers are selected corresponding not only to their moral qualities but also to their respective appearance. The sentries are chosen in pairs. Those pairs have the same height, physique, hair color, and so on. All two years of service they go on guard only in their pair.