Can I ask you a question about outfits?
So, okay, as of now I gotta go get dressed. I’m going to wear just a short jimbei with foldover-style shirt and the short pants. And then I think I’m going to wear tall compression socks. I either have kind of blue and green athletic compression socks, or some white ones that are more like generic tall soccer socks. Should I wear those? Which of those should I wear? And should I wear either my big straw farmer hat, or should I wear a white handmade-in-Utah Stetson with a peacock feather? It’s not like a cowboy hat Stetson. It’s more like a Richard Brautigan-inspired hat with a peacock feather in it. Which do you think I should go with to complete my look? Yeah, and I’m going to use my usual handkerchief around my neck, hanging down to be a little bit discreet with my massive mane of glorious chest hair. Maybe a tank top, white cotton shirt, and then a handkerchief along with the jimbei, the blue and green socks—and they kind of pick up the colors from the peacock feather. So maybe I’ll just rock that and go full-on eccentric foreigner mode.
Strategy for Showing Up
Apparently there’s another neighborhood nearby having a festival as well today, and what I’m going to do—my strategy—is: my in-laws are setting up a little ground golf attraction, and so I’m going to kind of appoint myself as their liaison. Greeter, maybe. I’m going to take a chair and kind of set up by them. I’m going to wear a big hat and my wraparound sunglasses, which isn’t very friendly and inviting, but my comfort is more important at this point. I’ll wear a jimbei and some tall socks and go with the flow.
Holding the Day for Ryoko
More important than “all of this” is tomorrow is Ryoko’s big test. And so today she was able to study this morning while I hung out with Ichiro doing my best. We listened to some Moana songs from the Moana movie and we transplanted a tree that’s going to eventually move inside the house. It’s kind of a little bit of a tropical-inspired short tree.
I cooked a variety of proteins—I made chicken that we ate for lunch, and then I got a pork roast and a steak that’s now stashed in the fridge.
But importantly, Ichiro and I made a little mini zine for Ryoko as a good luck charm for her test.
Arriving in Layers
About the last few years of the festival: of course was closed for public health concerns for a couple of years. And when it reopened, it was like 50 people and calm and a rainstorm. The next year got a little bit busy, and last year was a complete gong show. There’s nowhere really to sit down and relax, and instead of a lot of cultural stuff—you know, like the Japan you see in the Gion Matsuri with carrying the shrines on shoulders or on wheels—it’s more like a little community carnival. Last year, because there’s not a lot of stuff going on in the neighborhood, there were just a lot of people. And I just have a hard time with crowds and noise and lines and everyone’s energy swirling around. So loud, no chairs, no shade. I have more notes and more to say but i added the notes elsewhere and doesn’t really matter anyway.
On the Grounds with Ichiro
I went up as Ryoko was done setting up and wanting to split back home to prep for her test, so I went up and tagged off with Ichiro.
if you’re curious, this isn’t one of those traditional festivals carrying shrines through the streets… more like mini carnival booth to win plastic toys + yakisoba, kakigori // there’s a band who I always want to cheer for but well, I don’t know…
Checked in with mother-in-law and father-in-law who were running the ground golf game. They had a whole gaggle of elder folks in chairs planted around the shade provided by our tent awning, so they didn’t need me there filling up space. I didn’t even try their golf game, but I told them to stay hydrated and all of that.
We lined up for some silly game to win a water gun, I got some french fries, did a cork gun shooting game, got a lemon tea to say “good work” to the ladies at the community women’s auxiliary stand where Ryoko had helped set up.
Ichiro liked to ride on my shoulders. And while he’s such a talkative, confident boy at home, he’s so shy to talk to people outside of the home. He says he’s a shy boy, but until you really see it—because he’s so engaged and charismatic—it’s hard to believe it.
We all had a little toilet emergency after standing in line for the stupid gun game. Just as we got to the front, the little guy really had to pee, so I used my best Japanese to say to the nice lady something like, “we stood in line but my kid’s got pee,” gave the ticket, and she let us back in our space.
Then, just as the band was starting, we split. Came home, freshened up, and had kind of a late picnic-style dinner.
Lanterns & Cleanup
Just before we were heading to bed, Ryoko said that she had to go up and pick up the stuff from the women’s auxiliary stand. I was quite surprised—as she should totally be in bed—so I told her I would do it.
Put back on the clothes and walked up to the grounds where the incredible Japanese efficiency of tidying up was in full display.
Lanterns swung overhead as the volunteers swept, folded, and stacked—festival’s rhythm faded into the warm dusk. Retrieved Ryoko’s bags from the auxiliary stand. Walked home under the glow.
Tidying up / good night matsuri
{and the teenage kids chatter disguised goodbyes as they head off on headlighted bicycles}
