Alrighty then. Here are the instructions for the July 2009 issue of the Japansoc Matsuri!

*Update*: The deadline for entries has now passed. You can view the finished matsuri here: Weird things about Japan.

The theme?

What do you find most unusual, crazy or strange about Japan?

It can be anything you like: An event, a product, a custom, a food, a place or even something abstract like an idea or way of thinking. Best of all, you don’t have to have visited Japan to enter! Anyone who knows a little bit about Japan can write something.

There are only three rules that I would like to impose on this month’s matsuri, just as way of keeping things light-hearted and fun:

The rules?

1) The blog post you write must be no more than 200 words (approx. 2 paragraphs). (No long winding essays).

2) The blog post must contain a picture of some sort. (It should show what you are claiming is unusual or crazy. For abstracts, get creative!)

3) Please keep it cheerful. This month’s theme is for highlighting cultural differences in a positive way! :)

Also, let us know why you feel it’s something strange; is it something unknown in your own culture? Anyone at all with a Japan-related blog can enter and feel free to submit older posts, although I strongly encourage new posts.

How do I submit my entry?

There are 3 ways to do so!

1) Email me a link to your post: Contact Gakuranman
2) Submit your entry via the Blog Carnival Widget
3) Reply to this blog post with a link to your own matsuri post

If you need any more information about the matsuri, here is the Japansoc Matsuri FAQ

When is the deadline?

The deadline for this matsuri is 24th July 2009.

I will then sort out all the entries and make a big post unifying them all right here!

Okay! Let’s keep it cheerful and fun :)