Best Pyjama Party... Ever

So, they say that if you look hard enough you could probably find a festival somewhere in Japan on any day, and this week it was Himeji's turn. This week it was the Yukata Matsuri. A Yukata is like a summer kimono and a matsuri is a festival. So for 2 days the streets were lined with food, amusements, drinks and people, people and more people!

Day 1

So as Jess and Liam were here we all bought our yukata's and joined the rest of the Aussies in donning some Japanese costume. Tina had organised some of her students to help tie the Obi (belt that goes around the yukata) in pretty patterns and make the girls look beautiful... As for the boys, we were somewhere between going to bed and the beach, although I must say the lightweight material shorts are the best shorts I have worn... ever. Actually, maybe not the best,but certainly within the top 15.

The weather had been nothing short of miserable Friday so the matusri was in doubt all day... However someone wanted to see Jess and Liam in Japanese costume so they stopped the rain and allowed us all to see it... Liam wanted to buy a head mask and sword and become a full samurai (actually that may not have been true... It may have been Jess and I talking about what Dad would wear if he was here!) We caught the bus and headed to the action...

The main street and park near the castle were full of stalls, stalls and well, more stalls...Despite the inclement weather many people had turned out to participate in the best pyjama party... ever! I'd like to see more effort on the everyday western woman's behalf tying their dressing gown... There really is no comparison compared to the intricate tying and folding the Japanese women do... It was amazing to see the streets lined with so much colour from the kimonos. What was more amazing was that very rarely were 2 ever the same... thousands of kimonos... the majority different!

The Japanese ladies that had helped tie the Obi's helped us order at an Okonomyaki restaurant... so we sat in there and ate dinner, giving Jess and Liam another experience to take home with them. Good food and good company... what more is there to life?

Dinner had taken a fair while so by the time we had left the streets were clearing... One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how quickly crowds clear in Japan... It's almost like everyone knows when it finishes and just vanishes... Maybe they all have the power of Hiro Nakamura and can bend time and teleport themselves... or just maybe they have a public transport system that works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway... a good time was had by all!



Day 2

Having seen Jess and Liam off in the morning we headed back towards the matsuri in the late afternoon... The weather was so much better. The sun was shining, the birds were singing... There is a common belief here that possibly Jess and Liam had brought and returned with them the miserable Australian weather. (That theory was disproved only on Sunday, when the rain returned!) The Residents of Shirisagi inc. had a small gathering on the patio and worked on obis once more... food and drink were consumed, photos taken and off we went again... At first attempt boarding the bus it was completely full, so we went to find another bus... We found one, and as we exited the bus we found that the place was at least twice as busy as the night before...

Even more kimonos, probably the same number of stalls... it was actually pretty much the same as the night before, although the buzz was a little greater in the air... We had walked the streets, but before the light went we headed to the castle to take pictures... That seemed to take a fair while... By this stage I was feeling a little peckish... There were all the usual suspects as there are at most festivals... fried chicken (leaves KFC for dead!), okonomyaki, okonomiyaki on a stick (Jodi had that), takoyaki, yaki soba, kebabs, meat on a stick... However for me, there was only one thing... Some Bangladeshi curry... was really good, much better than their cricket team... I'm not sure exactly how they work out to get a Bangladeshi Curry stall at the Yukata Matsuri, but all power to them... I may even lobby the Mayor for more Bangadeshi curry stalls at the next matsuri! Top work Tigers!

Throughout the two day-festival, we kept hearing our names being called followed by excited waves and smiles from our school students. It was lucky that they recognised us because we teach so many students it's hard to remember them all. They seemed to be quite impressed that we had our own yukatas on and were only too happy to pose for a photo with us. Here's me with 3 students from my junior high.

The night had passed really quickly and after the really early morning (where I failed to get back to sleep!), I was ready for bed...

Once again... a good time had by all...

VISITORS COMMENTS:

Last day in Japan :( we were sad to be leaving but also glad because we would soon be able to read signs and go into the supermarket and be able to know what we were buying. Luckily for us the Himeji yukata festival was on :) The day started off with a lot of rain so we were quite worried that the festival might not be as good, but luckily the rain stopped and we could go without a worry. The night started off with all the girls getting their yukatas tied up this took along time and effort of the Japanese students of one of the girls for each of them. Then all of use dressed up got photos done. Next we caught the bus in on the way we didn’t very many people dressed up so we were a bit worried that the westerners would be the odd ones out but luckily for us when we got there, there were heaps and heaps of people all dressed up and lots of stalls with food and entertainment. After wondering around waiting for people we headed in a Okonomyaki restaurant which you can't really go into without a Japanese person to translate the menus. After the meal which was delicious. We wandered around some more and then found a photo booth and all got crammed into it and took some silly photos/stickers. As we were on our way home suddenly we saw a group of teenagers all dressed up in some sort of uniforms Jess said look at them and Jodi say don’t they are the ones that cause trouble. A second later it was a shambles and all of the guys started running though us and the group of people we were standing around. A second later I saw why as all of these cops ran past me I stood still as about three cops tackled one to the ground. Earlier Jodi and Jono had said that you can get arrested for loitering around this sort of thing so I quickly walked up the road about 10 meters and waited for the others about a minute later I saw Jono the others had gone across the road. We all re-grouped and headed off home Jessica Jono and Jodi caught a taxi home while the others walked other than the last little event the whole day was a great last day for Japan. Loved every minute of it.