Matusri and Circles!

Another eventful week has slipped through my fingers- lots to share!

One really great part of being in Japan in the fall is being able to enjoy all of the "matsuri", or festivals, going on around at various parks. My own park in Koganei has had a matsuri of one sort or another two weeks of the last month, and every weekend I keep hearing about other matsuris in other areas of Tokyo.  This weekend, I attended two- the first in a town just a bit outside Tokyo called Kawagoe. This town is known for its traditional buildings and for the Matsuri they host every year.  Upon arrival it reminded me of my experiences at the MN State Fair- lots and lots of people, food, sounds, and interesting sites to see!  We were first greeted by a Japanese Waseda Student's great aunt and uncle who graciously took us on a tour of the town and showed us the old buildings that were still in use today. I have seen these buildings in other parks and areas of Tokyo before, but they were usually for display only. The Kawagoe buildings were still being used on a daily basis, and it was neat to see a part of the old Japan still active today.

Next on the list was food- Lots of delicious and not-nutritious dishes for me to try! I was short on time so only sampled some yaki-soba (noodles with veggies and meat), but it was yum yum yum. Also, we were able to see various types of "dashi", or basically traditional parade floats. These floats were very ornately decorated and carried on them people playing and singing to traditional Japanese instruments. Very cool!

I had to return home to go to a picnic with my brother Kojiro's preschool, but before I left my Japanese friend's great Aunt and Uncle gave me a souvenir- A beautiful wall hanging!

Next day was the Koganei matsuri, and it was, in my opinion, even better than the Kawagoe matsuri. For starters, less people so one doesn't feel as bogged down and weary from fighting through crowds. More food! I had a baked potato with lots of butter, a chocolate-dipped banana, and a type of pancake with red-bean paste inside. Yum yum! Also, there was a stage that had lots of performers, mostly individuals doing traditional Japanese dances or playing instruments. My favorite was a group that played various types of drums and flutes that also had performers wearing elaborate masks dancing and then jumping into the crowd. The music was really engaging, and the performers, mostly children, were really charismatic and kept the crowd's attention.

Phew. Also big this week have been Waseda Circles (clubs). Last wednesday I attended a Shamisen and Takauta circle, literally a traditional Japanese guitar-type instrument paired with long pieces of poetry performed in song. It was really interesting- I got to listen in on the rehearsal and meet the teacher- a seventy-five year old Shamisen expert. He was very friendly to me and encouraged me to sit and listen, but I could tell the students respected him very much as they used very polite speech and bowed deeply before and after playing and leaving and entering the room. The other students were very nice as well. One thing I learned is that the way one sits when playing the shamisen or singing along with it, kneeling on one's knees in the traditional Japanese way, is very very painful!  After about twenty minutes my feet and legs were completely numb and I couldn't walk for a few minutes after. I thought maybe simply because I grew up in America not kneeling for extended periods of time that it was only painful for me, but apparently it also is for the Japanese students. I guess it gets better as time goes on!

Then on Saturday I got an email from the head of a ballet circle at Waseda. I went to the rehearsal tonight and had such a wonderful time- I am not very good at ballet but really really enjoy it, and this group was great because, while most of the students were far better than I am, it was very informal and everyone was helpful and encouraging. There was only one other international student, so I will be able to speak lots of Japanese. I was surprised because the studio wasn't really a studio, rather a room where they pushed back tables and chairs to make space to dance. There were mirrors on the back wall, but no barre, so instead we used tables that folded upwards to hold onto. It was really fun though, and the group meets three times per week for two hours each week. I think I will attend the ballet session on Mondays and Wednesdays only, but then not do the shamisen circle. Life would be too busy for both!

Good days good days!