Mabori Kaigan Festival

William and I went to the local festival. I'm talking REALLY local. Mabori Kaigan (Mabori Beach) is a small bedroom community of Yokosuka. There are 4 parts to it. This first part 'sea level,' had their party this weekend. It was neat because you can see the traditions of odori (dance) continued. The 'taiko' (drums) were really neat. William was pretty savvy and recognized that they said, "ore" when they took their quick turns. Very fun.

The festival was the past 2 nights. We had contributed to it, and had gotten a coupon to reimburse for a bag. The bag had 2 cans of beer in it!!! There was also a fan (which does help when it's humid) and some portable tissues (train stations rarely have toilet paper). I still can't get over there being beer in it!

William would go run in the playground area. He would make friends with kids by running, or chasing, and the other kids automatically understand the game. Teen aged girls would start chatting with them. They take English in school, and a little kid is easy to talk to. It did crack me up every time he was surrounded by girls. And what's cute, is that he'll recognize them in different circumstances, and wave to them!

I saw a particularly cute girl dressed in her yukatta (summer kimono) and I wanted to take a picture. So, I went up to the mother and said in my best Japanese, "Anata no musume wa kawaii desu. Shashin daijobu?" Which is anata no (your) musume wa (daughter -subject-) kawaii (cute) desu (is). Shashin (picture) daijobu (okay)? The lady looked at me and said, "Don't you remember us from Nobuko's 'Me and Mommy English and Japanese class?" Sure enough, Rii is the girl's name, and Kentaro was the little boy with them, and I do remember them. It is a class for children to learn at a young age a little English and Japanese. William and I had a good time when we went because we got to make a tanabatta (star festival) wish branch for putting on bamboo. Basically, you decorate a bamboo branch with decorative paper and put wishes on some of them. Once a year (around July 7), there is a star festival when these fabled star crossed lovers can meet. Anyway, I was ready to risk my limited Japanese, and I got excellent English in reply. Cracked me up!

It was a fun festival. William liked the shaved ice the best. He got brave enough to go ask for the color he wanted in Japanese with the polite form of please (asking) 'onegaishimasu' and give them money. I was very proud of him for doing it. He does know many of the Japanese colors. It's like preschool all over again, but this time it tastes sweeter!