Hello everyone, long time no blog!
It might be the sight of beautiful ikebana and the lady who suddenly handed me flowers, or the scent of kinmokusei in the air reminding me of my study abroad blogging times, but I have such a need to write right now. I haven't vlogged for Youtube in a while, or if I had, I never went back and edited/posted because I've been so busy, and it's just not the main focus of my free time right now.
I've realized a lot of my hobbies revolve around capturing memories (vlog, blog, photog). I think it's because I easily forget, or can't remember little details. But I feel really happy when something reminds me. I don't ever go back and watch my videos on Youtube. I don't even check out my friend's YouTubes, even though I should. But, I do go back and reread this blog occasionally, and I ALWAYS love to read my best friend's blog (here if you're curious)
Anyway, what brought this blogging need on was a festival. Festivals are one of my most favorite culture things in Japan. A lot of really fun memories I made were at Japanese festivals. My favorite one that I'd been going to every year was the Asagaya Tanabata Matsuri that always fell on my birthday in August. It's been cancelled every year since covid. This year, they were planning to have it, but a covid spike jumped up and ended that dream.
Festival Day 1
Me and my husband moved about a year and some months ago to the place we're living now, and it's near a huge shrine, which tends to mean they probably must have at least one festival at some point. We went there for New Year, and they had food stalls and stuff. Then the tell-tale festival lanterns popped up along the street! Friday my husband messaged me and told me the festival was happening!
I was working a bit late that day. I decided to walk home from my station, and noticed a lot of people biking, and groups of high school boys laughing and heading the opposite direction. My husband called me and we briefly met as he was heading out to meet his previous coworkers. He mentioned that the festival was going on and LOTS of people were there. I continued home, thinking it was too late to catch the festival because it was already 8:30ish, but when I passed by the shrine, it was still crowded with people! I quickly went home to grab my camera. I knew I wouldn't have fun going alone, but I was slightly hopeful I'd meet someone cool or someone I knew, or something good would happen. I got some nice pictures.
Alas, I met no-one. I felt lonely. It's extra lonely going to a festival alone and seeing all the people having fun like through an invisible barrier. But, I had that stupid little hope pushing me to go. This is the 3rd time this year I ended up at a festival alone. Maybe one of my students was here. A friend. A random old man who lived in America and wants to talk to a foreigner in English. A girl who thinks my clothes are cute. Anything! A local connection.
Day 1, I was not so lucky. But, I got some really cool pictures I guess.
Festival Day 2
My husband was meeting another previous coworker. I have my craziest and longest day of work on Saturdays because that's how eikawa works. I walked home again from my station and saw lots of people heading home. I got to the Lawson convenient store that's 4 minutes from my house and there were SO MANY BIKES parked there. I was planning to cross the street and just head home, but I couldn't with that much excitement nearby.
I wandered toward the festival yet again. I didn't feel as lonely as last time, then I suddenly felt like I wanted to cry, then I decided to go further into the shrine than I did Friday. I heard drums. Japanese taiko drums I guess? Something about them just captivates and moves me. The first time I realized and felt this way was the Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival the one time I went. Anyway, I followed the sound until I was at a Japanese style theatre (that I learned the name of at some point during my theatre and/or Japanese studies but forgot) and I watched. I was captivated. This person had a mask and a really long white wig on and was just walking around shaking some bells to the drumming and flute thingy, but I couldn't look away. I wanted to run home and grab my camera but I couldn't leave. I did get some video.
Then it was over. But I went deeper into the shrine and saw that they had ikebana displays (Japanese flower arranging). I took a class on in it Nagoya when I studied at Kinjo, so I wanted to have a look. There was a lady taking them down, she said that this was the last day and handed them to the person she was talking to. Then she wrapped up some more, turned around, and handed them to me!
I was feeling low, coming to this festival again, alone, watching and listening to everyone else's fun. But the show and the flowers brightened up my mood and my urge to write this blog.
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