日本の文化, A Wonderful Saturday

Reading: 漢字学習、－－級　(恥ずかしい！)
Listening: "Listen 2 Ur Heart," Jon Young


Saturday, June 16
Saturday was 文化祭, or Culture Day at Miki Higashi Senior High School. Friday afternoon classes were cancelled in preparation for the festivities. In the courtyard, boys constructed food stalls and the acoustic guitar club organized onstage. The ultra-cool 華道部 (flower arrangement club), to which I belong, created hallway displays based on 心象風景, or images from the heart. I chose to depict "anger" through an aggressive arrangement of black calla lilies and crimson carnations and gerbera daisies. The two student members and I left once we completed our work, leaving the staff who participate in the club to finish with set-up. We three are also members of 茶道部 (tea ceremony club), and we hurried to assist with preparations there.

On Saturday morning, I met my 茶道先生 at 8:00 am for my first-ever yukata (summer kimono) dressing. We faced some small difficulty due to the length of my arms and legs, not ideal for Japanese-designed clothing. Chris appeared at around 10:15 am, just in time for my first 点前 in yukata. I felt that I had practiced well, but I performed the ceremony awkwardly, thrown off by the long sleeves.

My elbows should bow out more, and I should have a peaceful, not tense, expression on my face.

School courtyard.

Students from last year. We no longer have classes together, but they will always be my favorites.

More of my former students at the 豚汁・焼きおにぎり booth.

We ran out early and returned home for cold drinks. I changed into my cheap(er) Uniqlo yukata, tucking a flower behind my ear in true Hawaii girl style. I haven't had practice in dressing myself, and my obi was tied sloppily, but the outfit was airy and comfortable. At the station, we caught the next train into Osaka, heading to a concert by the wonderful m-flo.

We made our way to the concert venue (me shuffling along in my yukata), where we met with a long entrance line. We spotted Heather and Dylan early up, and they surely found a good view in the standing room-only chaos that is Zepp Osaka. Entering at the butt end of the line, we found ourselves trapped in the butt end of the room. All the same, we loved the concert and are looking forward to the finale that we'll be attending in Yokohama.

Indeed, we did.

Chris, trying to rock the Verbal look.

2 Cosmicolor T-Shirts: 3500円 each

1 Souvenir Book: 2500円

1 "POW!" Flashing Badge: 1000円

m-flo Experience： Priceless

Sunday, June 17

After the excitement of the concert, we spent a mellow Sunday in Miki, shopping at the local home center, working on some financial planning, and cooking mabodofu （また！）for dinner.

Monday, June 18

Thanks to substitute vacation from having worked on Saturday, I traveled into Seishin on Monday. Seishin is a "suburb" of Kobe City, and though primarily an industrial area, the sprawling "Plenty Mall" features a variety of cute shops. I indulged in books and donuts before heading home on the bus with my students.

Tuesday, June 19

I thought that our Tea Club would relax for a bit after a successful Culture Day, but we instead immediately resumed lessons. The second-years (myself included) have graduated from studying the most basic ceremony to tackling a newer, more complicated one in which we'll learn how to use beautiful wooden ladles called hishaku.

めっちゃうまい和菓子 that day, which I'm sure that starry-eyed Jamie will be envious of.