Tsumagoi Kakegawa

... t involve techno-music, bright lights and glow-sticks. Gathered here were about 30 to 50 parents and children, taking turns cheering on the costumes and various dances that were being presented to them. Scattered throughout, the local students and children wear elaborate temple-gear and perform intricately complicated dances. And, three times during the night, devils come out, dressed in red with large-nosed, very, very scary painted ogre-masks.

This is Hanamatsuri.

This ...

... I was offered to participate in some of the activities for Sports Day (see previous entry). I didn't actually run that day (unless you can call my terrible attempt at the 'three-person' race running), but later on I was asked if I wanted to run at the Midori Half-Marathon.

This time, they got the meaning of Marathon right, and I found myself committed to running around 21km. It was an easy course, very enjoyable, extremely scenic and beautiful in this area. It ended at the Toyone ...

... kicking-attack, but something settled in me. I had so much stress that night at the typhoon, and I remember how beating up on these kids, and allowing them to beat up on me, and doing my best to just focus on copying and catching every second or third word, really allowed me to unwind and adjust here.

I think it's too easy to look for what's familiar when you come to a new place, and do your best to re-create what you've grown accustomed to in ...

... I took advantage of it. The procedure for entering an onsen, I'm afraid to say, I'm not completely informed. This onsen had three stranding shower stalls, about fifteen seated showers with plastic seats and wash basins, three waterfall-massage seats connected to the main onsen, a sauna, and an outdoor waist-high hot-bath and seats overlooking the stars and mountain. It's really a beautiful onsen. Well, first you have to really scrub down, and this was ...

... by foot. Now, whether or not it was a sport, or whether they claimed bragging rights is a different matter (I'm no historian), but I have to admit that I'm ready for the next one.


But really....doing what I did again today, and then twice that, is something I should at least train for this time. My time was 1 hour and forty minutes. Two 60 and 64 year old men beat my time by about 20 minutes. Now there's motivation.

I had hinted at this particular event in the past, and decided to finally write about the various events that took place on that Saturday.

This being the second event my school was hosting in September, I was a little more excited to take part in it. The last event being the cleaning event, you can understand why. What they did in preparation for this, was split everyone in the Toyone-Village district into teams based on area. I fell into the Kamikurogawa ...

... or talked me into confusion--joining their local team), and on my way back home on the winding road, when I spotted something moving on the road. Now in this area, this is a common occurrence. Wild boards (Unoshishi), deer (Shika), and all other forms of life find their way onto the half-wild half-tamed highway that runs through these parts.

"Wild" would describe the ...

... everything they could in their power to determine whose girlfriend Yoshimi was, and whether she was Japanese or not. We kept playing her as the Chinese-American.

We had no idea what was coming when a little 8 or 9 year-old girl came tugging at our sleeves that we had to see something. Running up the hill came about twenty or so totally inebriated young fellows, huffing and puffing a chant to give them the final energy required to carry their shrine (and their yellow-topped ...

... and early, so that they can have enough time before their classes to stretch and train for this upcoming Athletic Meet.

They all participate. Actually, the one person you think would be least likely to succeed in this, is not only the one with the most heart, but is probably the one who has made the most impressive improvements. A moment here for Tatsuya. Wtg man.

Anyhow, I spent the night before at my English teacher's house in the nearby Shinshiro city (nearby ...

... to put our bags away before the show started when immediately to our right fireworks started going off! We moved a little bit away when we noticed that some others were going off in another area of base. So we got 2 shows for the price of one! It was really cool and it was neat to see the families that were left on base enjoying the show. Most of the Navymen are out on summer cruise and they're in port in Australia so a lot of the families had gone to meet them.