In Japan, spring brings many new beginnings. The beginning of a new season, new school year, new wardrobe, new energy and excitement after a long, cold winter. The Japanese school year begins in April and ends in March, and Sanwa has been buzzing to get ready for the new year and new students. The weather has been beautiful and so enticing that I have spent a lot of time outside while at school. I am lucky that I have such freedom that I can take a walk outside during school hours. I have been getting a lot of bike riding in lately as well. Just on Friday, I was able to check out of school a couple hours early and head over to the Koga Peach Blossom Festival again.
I am so happy to have been introduced to this park because the atmosphere is beautiful and it will be a nice place to spend time this summer. Luckily I got to the festival early enough in the day to visit some of the vendors and get a chocolate banana. While I was shopping through some different kinds of tea leaves for sale, one vendor offered me a sample of green tea and we struck up a nice conversation. I am always so happy to speak to people in the community in Japanese. It gives me some great practice and I like that they try to talk to me. This woman did a fantastic job by using easy vocabulary and speaking to me slowly. She asked me where I was from and why I was living in Japan. When I told her that I was an English teacher, she gave me a big smile and said, "Good luck! Work hard!" I thanked her and moved on. It was great to find a nice place to sit down and read my book for a bit too. The peach blossoms were still out and gorgeous and a nice atmosphere to begin the weekend.
And to end the weekend, Chika, Jason and I went to another park of which I cannot remember the name to see some cherry blossoms. This is a park covered in sakura trees. They have a nice open field where you can sit and observe the blossoms and enjoy the company of those around you. In the spring it is a popular Japanese past time to sit, drink sake, and watch sakura trees in bloom. And as always, I was able to get some great festival food and enjoy the chocolate bananas! Festival season is just beginning and I hope to report back from many more as the spring turns into summer.
3 comments:
Festival season is exciting! Hopefully there will be some neat festivals to attend this summer, too! :)
You will have to make chocolate bananas for your Dad when you come home. I bet he will love them. Do their festivals have crafts also? How do they compare to our crafts? Try and find something small to bring back for me. Maybe something quilted, or sculpted. I will also enjoy our spring weather once it is here to stay.
I'm jealous, because spring totally faked me out by being here for a couple of days before bailing and letting the weather get cold again. I so wish it would warm up here.
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