All traditions
2,281 traditions so far, best known first. 12,336 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and meal.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇨🇳 Puyang, ChinaFeng shui風水
The Chinese spatial practice of aligning homes and graves with natural energyFolklore
🇨🇳 ChinaGuanxi关系
A Chinese tradition of cultivating trusted networks and reciprocal obligationsEtiquette
🇯🇵 Kyoto, JapanIkebana生け花
The Japanese art of arranging cut branches and flowers in a vesselPerformance
🇯🇵 JapanKadomatsu門松
A Japanese New Year gateway decoration of pine and bamboo where a visiting deity can restSeasonal
🇨🇳 China and 5 morePostpartum confinement
A period of rest, nourishment, and seclusion for mothers after giving birth.Rite of passage
🇯🇵 JapanChildren's Dayこどもの日
A Japanese holiday on May fifth celebrating the happiness and growth of childrenFestival
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreBento弁当
A single-portion packed meal in a lidded box, carried to school, work or on a trainTable custom · Lunch
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreKorean New Year설날
A three-day Korean festival celebrating the lunisolar new year with family and feastsSeasonal
🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanKoinobori鯉のぼり
Carp-shaped windsocks flown across Japan for Children's Day in springFestival
🇯🇵 JapanYuzu bath柚子湯
A winter solstice soak in hot water with whole yuzu citrus, kept across JapanSeasonal
🇯🇵 JapanTango no sekku端午の節句
A Japanese seasonal festival for children marked with carp streamers and iris leaves.Festival · Sweets given and shared
🇨🇳 ChinaChinese paper cutting剪紙 / 剪纸 (jiǎnzhǐ)
Chinese cut paper pictures, pasted on windows and doors for luck at New YearCraft
🇯🇵 Tokyo, Japan and 2 moreManeki-neko招き猫
A lucky cat figurine, paw raised, kept by shop doors and in homes across JapanFolklore
🇰🇷 Seoul, South Korea and 1 moreMarriage in Korea
Weddings in Korea, from Goryeo matchmaking to Confucian rites and modern chapel vowsRite of passage
🇰🇷 South Korea and 4 moreParents' Day어버이날 (Eobeoinal)
Days set aside in several countries to thank mothers and fathersFestival
🇯🇵 Japan and 5 moreHouse
A traditional children's make-believe game of acting out domestic family rolesGame
🇯🇵 JapanKappōgi割烹着
A Japanese smock worn over a kimono to keep it clean while cooking and cleaningDress
🇨🇳 Huizhou, ChinaHui-style architecture
A traditional Chinese building style of white walls, dark tiles and horse-head gablesCraft
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Hui-style architecture: Huangchenhai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Children's Day: Comissão de Jovens, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Koinobori: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source
- Ikebana: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Yuzu bath: Nori Norisa, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kadomatsu: Nesnad, CC BY 4.0, source
- Postpartum confinement: Unknown, Public domain, source
- Feng shui: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tango no sekku: tiseb, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chinese paper cutting: Lanneixi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Maneki-neko: Su--May, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bento: Blue Lotus, CC BY 2.0, source
- Marriage in Korea: Jérôme Banal ( Eden2004 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kappōgi: 賢太郎 森川, CC BY 2.0, source
- House: Alborzagros, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Parents' Day: 草花写真館, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Korean New Year: Kang Byeong Kee, CC BY 3.0, source