The rites of spring

THE MARCH BASHO
March 12 to 26, Osaka, Japan
The greatest Sumo wrestlers in Japan meet at the Osaka Municipal Gymnasium for The March Basho, one of the year’s six Grand Tournaments. The crowd cheers as two huge wrestlers, rikishi, attempt to push each other out of a circular ring or throw each other to the hard clay floor. The first sumo matches, dating back some 1,500 years, were a form of ritual dedicated to the gods with prayers for a bountiful harvest and were performed together with sacred dancing and dramas within the precincts of the shrines. Even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, with the symbolic salt scattered before each contest.

HONG KONG ARTS FESTIVAL
February 16 to March 18, Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF), launched in 1973, is a major international event committed to enriching the life of the city by presenting about 150 performances and more than 250 art and educational events. The pinnacle of Hong Kong’s performing arts events, it showcases Asia’s top talents alongside leading artists from around the world and pitches to a wide range of appetites, from the classical, to the avant-garde, to the electrifying. Visit www.HK.ArtsFestival.org. 

JEJU HUEREE APRICOT FLOWER FESTIVAL
February 17 to March 1, Jeju-do, South Korea
Jeju Hueree Maehwa Festival takes place at Hueree Natural Park every year from late February to early March. Maehwa is the Korean word for apricot flower, which is the sign of spring. The blossoming of the flowers is celebrated at the earliest time in Korea through this festival. Expect various fun activities such as the apricot flower photo contest, black pig show and goose show.

HACHINOHE ENBURI
February 17 to 20, Hachinohe, Japan
Every year, more than 30 groups of dancers or tayu and musicians wearing colourful costumes parade through the city of Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture to pray for a rich harvest and celebrate the arrival of spring. In the old days. the dancers used to carry farm tools called enburi while performing their dance. The dances, expressing scenes of farm work, consist of the naga-enburi, which is performed slowly, and the gallant, high-tempo dosai-enburi. After paying a visit to the Shinra Jinja early in the morning on the first day of the festival, the groups set off on their parades. The eboshi hats of the tayu dancers are designed in the shape of a horse’s neck, as a horse was considered indispensable in farm work. 

RAPTOR WATCH 2017
March 11, Malacca, Malaysia
Raptor Watch at Tanjung Tuan or Cape Rachado is now Malaysia’s biggest and best eco-tourism event and has become synonymous with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) . The festival celebrates the return of the migratory raptors on their journey back to their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere. Raptor Watch is a public event meant to raise awareness on the conservation of raptors and their habitats. Guided walks, games and arts and craft are also featured.

INTERNATIONAL YOGA FESTIVAL
March 1 to 7, Rishikesh, India
Get your breathing in sync and prepare to join Rishikesh’s International Yoga Festival at the Parmath Niketan Ashram. Known as the “City of the Divine”, the ashram is a spiritual centre to which sages, rishis, saints and pilgrims have flocked for millennia. The seven day programme includes more than 70 hours of yoga classes from world class teachers by the banks of the Ganges that demonstrate and explore the major traditions of hatha, raja, karma, bhakti, mantra, laya and jnana, plus evening discussions with some of India’s leading spiritual leaders. Don’t forget to keep some time to visit the many interesting places in the area.