- Title: Dirty rat: Zodiac window cleaners set Tokyo sparkling for New Year
- Date: 19th December 2019
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS WINDOW CLEANERS DRESSED IN 2019 ZODIAC ANIMAL BOAR, AND 2020 ZODIAC ANIMAL RAT HANGING OVER STREET VARIOUS OF WINDOW CLEANING IN PROGRESS CLEANERS WITH BOAR AND RAT FACE PAINTING POSING FOR PHOTOS CLEANERS WITH PAINTED FACES HANGING ON ROPE VARIOUS OF WINDOW CLEANING IN PROGRESS HOTEL EMPLOYEE WITH BABY WATCHING CLEANERS FROM 15TH FLOOR BABY TOUCHING WINDOW WHILE CLEANERS WAVE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HOTEL EMPLOYEE, YURIKO SAKAUE, SAYING: "Next year, I hope to spend time with my family. It was a really busy year." STREET OUTSIDE OF HOTEL/ CLEANERS WASHING WINDOW CLEANING IN PROGRESS CLEANERS KICKING WINDOW AND SWINGING
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2020 07:08
- Keywords: Japan Tokyo Zodiac animals boar costume rat window cleaner
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAN3UIV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Dangling more than 50 metres above a Tokyo street, window cleaners dressed up as a pig and a rat, the zodiac animals for 2019 and 2020 respectively, on Thursday (December 19) scrubbed windows at a downtown hotel ahead of the country's New Year festivities.
A tradition in its seventh year at the Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo that echoes Japan's custom of sprucing up the house at year-end, the cleaning comes as Japan gears up to be in the international spotlight as it prepares to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
That follows a year in which Japan saw a new emperor ascend the throne and host the Rugby World Cup which featured a break-out performance by the national team.
Tokyo stores are replete with decorations featuring mouse motifs ahead of the Year of the Rat, with the turn of the year traditionally a time for making wishes for the year ahead.
"Next year I hope to spend time with my family. It was a really busy year so I hope for a little calm next year," said hotel employee Yuriko Sakaue, who gave birth to a daughter in May and was watching the costumed cleaners.
(Production: Akira Tomoshige, Hideto Sakai, Akiko Okamoto) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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