back to school
sorry I haven't been blogging for some time now. It has been so hot and humid over here that you don't feel like doing much other than trying to stay cool. well summer is over and that means back to school. School offically started this last monday the 27th and as of friday the students were still not full back mentally. I'll give them a little more time.
In Japan summer is over after the Obon festival. This festival is actually celebrated in Seattle and is probably the biggest festival time in Japan. If you don't know what the Obon festival is I'll explain (or you could just look it up on Wikipedia), it is a festival celebrating your ancestors. Japanese families visit the family grave to offer incess, flowers and prays that their ancestors will continue to watch over them. Obon is the time of year where subsiquently the spirits of your ancestors come back to your family grave so it is customary to put out decorative lanterns so they will know where they are supposed to come back to. The whole thing is a mixture of buddhism and shintoism i believe. Anyway that is traditional part of Obon, the fun part is that there is a festival at the end of Obon. The festival held in Tsukidate is the biggest of the year and many people come out. There are all kinds of booths with games and food to try. then in the center of the festivities there is a tower with taiko drum players and singers. Around that tower many people do a traditional Obon dance. I don't much care for the dancing but I love to go up and play taiko with everyone.
This year Tsukidate had an exchange program with their sister city (Revere, MA) it is next to Boston. I had to help out with translation duties while they were here. They had a fun time and were able on their last night to go to the Obon festival. They danced and had a great time.
This summer is over now and it is easy to tell. During this last week the weather has gotten bad and it is getting colder. I think autumn is here early.
I'll write some more later and put up some pics. bye for now.
In Japan summer is over after the Obon festival. This festival is actually celebrated in Seattle and is probably the biggest festival time in Japan. If you don't know what the Obon festival is I'll explain (or you could just look it up on Wikipedia), it is a festival celebrating your ancestors. Japanese families visit the family grave to offer incess, flowers and prays that their ancestors will continue to watch over them. Obon is the time of year where subsiquently the spirits of your ancestors come back to your family grave so it is customary to put out decorative lanterns so they will know where they are supposed to come back to. The whole thing is a mixture of buddhism and shintoism i believe. Anyway that is traditional part of Obon, the fun part is that there is a festival at the end of Obon. The festival held in Tsukidate is the biggest of the year and many people come out. There are all kinds of booths with games and food to try. then in the center of the festivities there is a tower with taiko drum players and singers. Around that tower many people do a traditional Obon dance. I don't much care for the dancing but I love to go up and play taiko with everyone.
This year Tsukidate had an exchange program with their sister city (Revere, MA) it is next to Boston. I had to help out with translation duties while they were here. They had a fun time and were able on their last night to go to the Obon festival. They danced and had a great time.
This summer is over now and it is easy to tell. During this last week the weather has gotten bad and it is getting colder. I think autumn is here early.
I'll write some more later and put up some pics. bye for now.
posted by Pair at
1:06 AM
1 Comments:
Hello,
I noticed your blog and couldn't help but attempt to contact you. I don't know if you could help me, but I was part of the Japanese Exchange program that first started in Revere. I went to Japan in 1995; however, I lost track with my exchange family and would love any information that you have on people that run the program from Tsukidate. Maybe they could help me contact the family again. Please respond. Thank you!
By
Glenda, at 8:06 AM
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