It was the town matsuri (festival) on Saturday, we don't live in a very big town so we can't expect much really. It is a big social event though, especially for the one 'uns, the girls all looking pretty in their yukatas, the lads all looking cool with their hair done just so... blimey, I feel old. I did notice this year that there were far more girls wearing girlie jimbei (shorts and kimono style top that boys usually wear - see Ebi-kun below) which is a bit sad because they look much prettier in their yukata, there again, if I were that age, I would probably go for the jimbei too.
It was a really hot day and I refused to leave the house until it had cooled down a bit, so we got to the park around 5.30pm and enjoyed a dinner of yaki soba, big steamed potatoes with lashings of butter and miso paste and toffee apples. As a kid we always had toffee apples on bonfire night.
Ebi-kun got into a right sulk because I refused to fork out ¥1500 for a flashing sword, we had already seen one kid in tears over his broken sword so they obviously weren't up to much and then we thought we had found a good spot but then when the fireworks started they must have been setting them off in a different spot to last year because our view was blocked by a big tree - aghhhh. Just as we were moving daddy called to say he had made it back early so we managed to meet up with him and watch the fireworks together, Ebi-kun was impressed (and temporarily forgot about the sword)
The fireworks were pretty but just a short show compared to the ones in Kumagaya where they put on a fantastic show. Then, just to finishes the evening off, as a rode home on my bike with moaning-I-want-a sword-child on the back I got a puncture so had to push the bike all the way back!
When we got back, daddy got out a bag from work which contained, 6 pieces of baked cheese cake, a bag of scones, a bag of croissants, a couple of melon pan and a loaf of bread -yum. He designs industrial cake mixing machines and they had had an exhibition on a work which of course involved making lots of delicious cakes and bread - perks of the job!
I'm not so keen on the girly jimbei, either! I love to see the girls in their yukata, and boys look cool in jimbei, but this new fashion for the girls... dasai?
ReplyDeleteHmmm aesthetically I'm a yukata person but as a mum of two active girls it's waaay easier to keep them decent in jinbei! I don't like the HS girls in their oversized kitty-chan jinbei just because. One of the festivals here the little boys wear (dark blue or dark green) yukata with the low slung sash. They look gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteI think you certainly earned your yummy bread after a festival with that many trials!
Heather - the trick with the little girls looking decent is to tie their legs together just above their knees :o)
ReplyDeleteI want a husband who works with cake making machines!
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