Hotaru matsuri: The fireflies festival!

Last saturday was the day of Yamaguchi city's fireflies festival. I never thought I would see this many people at the same time alongside that river - especially around the stalls where you could hardly walk!

It was very interesting to me that although it was a fireflies festival, people were much more excitted about getting to weat their yukatas (summer kimono), meet up with friends and eat festival food (I must say I was pretty happy myself getting to eat a taiyaki, a fish shaped cake filled with sweet beans paste :D ).
For exemple, I first got there with a japanese friend, but we couldn't see the fireflies yet because it was too early. So we bought some food, ate it, and my friend said "Well, I don't have much interest for fireflies, so I'll go back home right now. I guess you could come back with the other exchange students when the sun is down." I thought, what's the point of coming to this festival then?! Oh, well.
I did come back afterwards and the fireflies were really pretty! But I'll go back again when there is less lights on.

Oh, and here is a bowl I made in my japanese pottery class! :D (It actually is a chawan, a cup to drink tea from in traditional japanese tea ceremony.) The diameter is about 15 cm.

Festival in Shimonoseki!

Last week-end we went to see a festival (which name I forget, haha) in Shimonoseki, one one the biggest cities of Yamaguchi prefecture.
You probably already know about geishas, those ladies whose life revolved on practicing and performing feminine arts for the pleasure of nobles and other high-class people.
Orians, on the other hand, were courtisans. Because they were just as beautiful as geishas, they had to wear their obi (kimono's belt) the other way around so that you could clearly recognize an orian from a geisha. The pleasure house they belonged to would once in a while have their most beautiful orian walk down the streets in a very special way, in order to attract customers. This walk, considered an art in itself, is the major attraction of the festival we went to. Although pleasure houses are no more, the beautiful aesthetics and traditions related to orians are still passed down, and performers are practicing the year long for the day of the festival. I really was beautiful!

Orian, walking.

I recommend you watching Sakuran, a simple but very beautiful movie about the life of an Orian. The kimonos are really amazing! Here is the trailer, with english subtitles. You can see a bit of the special walk in it!

Shimonoseki being close to the sea, there were various other events in relation with fishing or naval war. It also has a enormous fish market where you can buy freshly made sushi. DE-LI-CIOUSSS!!

Children performing taiko by the sea.

Samurais walking down the streets of Japan?!!

They turned out to be actors in a play performed for the festival.