Maiko Girls in Kyoto

Sender: Qhasami

T is for TRADITIONAL TEAHOUSE!

Text on card: Lovely Maiko Girls in Kyoto

Hobby-horses

Sender: Alienne
'Hobby-horses'
Toys of yesteryears.

Indian Pow-Wows

Sender: Jo

Indian Pow-Wows

- Are held on reservations throughout North America, a festive mix of people, tipis, horses, dances, dinners, contests, parades, ceremonies and socialising for several summer days. Many people "make the Pow-Wow circuit", attending either as participants or audience, to experience and enjoy the rich culture of the first Americans. 

Negative Characters in Russian Folk Tales

Sender: Dmitry

Some negative characters in Russian folk tales. From the web I found that:-
Kikimora is a female house spirit
Leshiy is a male woodland spirit
Baba Yaga is a witch
Solovei is a robber
Zmey Gorynych is a three-headed dragon
Cat Bayun is a huge man-eating cat
Koshcei is an evil sorceror

Unsavoury characters indeed but so interesting as I have never heard of them before!

Brick Carving

Sender: Melowalk
Brick Carving of Festive Performance
Manpaiwu. Jin Dynasty (1115-1234)

Russian Folk Costume

Sender: Ave

Young Countrywoman Folk Costume

Before Summer

Sender: Oxana
"Before Summer" by Nikolay Fomin

Stanley Park's Totem Poles

Sender: Sharon
The amazing totem poles in Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Mask of Shaman

Sender: Rayman

Mask of Shaman

Copper

Inner Mongolia

Ewink nationality

Text on card: Shaman means sorceror or sorceress. This kind of mask was used for their religious ceremony. It is an instrument for ecstasy (contact to god) just like other holy instruments: crown, clothes, drum, wand.

Shamans are spirit mediums who have practiced divination, prayer, sacrifice, rainmaking, and healing in Chinese traditions dating back over 3,000 years. - Wikipedia

Taiwan Crafts

Sender: Steven

This postcard is an ink art postcard by the sender's own sister. I'm lucky to get a unique card! 

Year of The Dog

Sender: He Jun
2006 Chinese Calendar Year card, the Year of The Dog

Three Kings Monument

Sender: Narat

The Three Kings Monument, Chiang Mai, Thailand

(King Mengrai, the founder of Chiang Mai; his contemporary and reportedly good friend King Ramkamhaeng of Sukothai; and King Ngam Muang of Payao.)

"Kanadehon chushingura"

Sender: Mikoto

"Kanadehon chushingura", an 11-act puppet play, here depicted by cats in one of the acts. The phrase means 'The Treasury of Loyal Retainers', a tale of samurai honour (Japan's most famous revenge story).

It is one of the most important plays in the Kabuki repertoire.

Snake Year and Brisbane Meet-Up

Sender: Crizle

"A Month Of Letters" project

Sender: Crizle

Brisbane, Australia

From the Brisbane Postcrossing Meet-up 23 March 2013, signed by Crizle, Mr Crizle, and many other attendees! 

Buckle Design

Sender: Epollard
Calgary Stampede - Design of The Buckle

The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

Chinese Hodgepodge

Sender: Emillin
A hodgepodge of pepper, seafood, bamboo shoots and chilli.

Sounds delicious Emillin, but I've never been fond of bamboo shoots myself despite it featuring in local dishes here. I should learn to love it! 

Kachina Dolls

Sender: Hootnoodle

Kachina Dolls, Zuni. 

Left: Wood, pigments, horsehair on hide, cotton, feathers, hide, tin, 20 x 6 1/2" 

Right: Wood, pigments, hair, hide, fur, cotton, wool, yucca, 19 x 6".

From the Brooklyn Museum: Kachinas are representative of three types of entities within the religion of the Hopi and Zuni people. First, a Kachina is a spiritual ancestor who is a messenger to and from the gods. Second, a Kachina is a male dancer personifying these spirits. And third, a Kachina doll is carved as a secular representation of the spirits.

Fujian Earth Building

Sender: Melowalk
Fujian Earth Building, China

They are a type of rural dwelling in the mountainous areas in southeastern Fujian. The multi-storey earth buildings were erected with a mixture of earth, sand, lime, glutinous rice, bamboo and wood chips. Amazing sight!

The Bogatyr

Sender: ri17

The Bogatyr

Mikhail Vrubel, 1865 - 1910

Decorative panel, Oil on canvas, 321.5 x 222 cm

"Bogatyr" - one of a group of heroes of the Russian folk epics known as "byliny". The duty of the bogatyrs was to protect the Russian land against foreign invaders, especially the Tatars.

This person reminds me of a character in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy!

Russian Wooden Windows

Sender: nvpsv
Russian wooden windows beautifully crafted.