A Small Bit of Autumn in Japan for You🍁 (Patreon)

Ah 🍂 ! It's officially autumn when the fall festivals (aki matsuri / 秋祭り) start all around the country.

Many neighborhoods (and their local shrines) usually have their own smaller versions. When my son was little the neighborhood we lived in was very traditional and he and the other kids participating had to go for months beforehand to learn drumming, fluting, and dancing. The moms had to learn how to dress them up and put on the makeup. I'll look to see if I can find any of those old videos. It was a two-day event, intense -- as we moms had to also walk the morning until dusk route for two days carrying thermoses, towels, snacks, cameras, siblings if you had them -- but a lot of fun!

Where I live now is having its first since the pandemic. They seem to have bailed on the summer obon festival. I hear rumors from the grandmas in the neighborhood that the young people don't want to keep up the tradition. It is a lot of work and I'm sure more mothers are working outside the house now than they were back in the day😞.

So I was pleasantly surprised to hear the festival this morning. The thing they're pulling is called an omikoshi / お神輿, a kind of portable shrine, which I'm sure you've seen before somewhere. They'll only be out an hour. The typhoon has either missed us or not here yet. I need to check the weather.

Anyway, I just wanted to share something positive and fun for you. Did you see the guy on top waved to me? He's one of the fellows in our neighborhood group.

XO,

terrie