Matsuri

So, last night I met up with Karen, the high school ALT, to have dinner. We were going to go to a little place between my apartment and the BOE where I've been working, called Picco Picco, but it was oddly closed. They apparently close at strange times throughout the year, and this time is especially odd, because it is Obon, basically a weeklong (maybe) holiday, which I think might have something to do with honoring the dead. I'm not really sure, but it's about the only time the young people come back here. Since Yokota isn't really the most exciting city, when kids graduate high school and head off to college, they rarely feel the need to return from the flashing lights of the big city, but Obon is the exception.
So, there are lots of young people in town for a few days, reuniting with their classmates and eating at all the restaurants, so it seems odd that Picco Picco would be closed at such a busy time. Yesterday even featured the traditional ceremony for twenty year olds (anyone whose twentieth birthday is this year), where they take pictures. Everyone but Jo, me, and one other guy in the office were outside in the blazing heat of the parking lot doing stuff for that. I almost felt guilty, but nobody asked us to help, so we just sat around talking in air-conditioned comfort.
Sorry for the lack of structure here, but my mind is wandering. Anyway, Karen and I went to another restaurant called Friends (furenzu), which was pretty sweet. They seated us at a table for four people, even though there were only two of us. Then three other guys came and couldn't find a spot to sit because the only available table was for two people. I just suggested that we switch tables, as we hadn't even ordered yet, and everyone was amazed at my graciousness. Sometimes it is just amazingly polite here. So, anyway, I had some katsu kare (curry rice with a cutlet), which is pretty much the best thing ever.
Then we went across the street to the matsuri, which is a festival. This particular one was centered on dancing in this big circle. First just the kids and their parents, who basically just try to keep the kids dancing and not running around, do the dance, and they all get candy. Then everyone else can dance. James's wife, whose name I can't think of just now, was there with his two sons, who are of course incredibly cute and just utterly fascinated by me, so Karen and I talked to them for a little after the kids' dance. I met a couple of Karen's Japanese friends, named Aki and Shoko, if I recall correctly, and some drunk guy who wouldn't tell me his name bought Karen and I each a beer from one of the vendors before wandering off somewhere. One of the town officials (or at least guys in matsuri jacket things) kept telling me that I should dance when it started again, because the people who dance first get a better chance at winning the prizes.
I couldn't figure out what he meant by dancing first, since it is a group dance that doesn't start until there are a bunch of people ready, but Karen and I danced, anyway. We had to fumble through a deceptively easy-looking dance around the circle once, and then everyone was given a ticket (inside a matchbook). We danced around the circle two more times, getting a ticket each time. Karen's friends gave her their tickets, so she ended up with five or six of them. After all the dancing, they had a lottery, basically, giving out prizes. Everyone got something for each ticket they had. I ended up with four boxes of tissues and two packets of instant ramen, so I was pretty pleased. Karen got some tissue, a coupon for a local store, and a vacuum cleaner. She won one of the big prizes.
I'm afrad I'm not being very descriptive of the matsuri, but it's just kind of something you have to see. Karen took a few pictures, so maybe I can get her to email me those. I took a picture on my phone, but I'm not sure that does any good. A lot of people were wearing yukatas, summer kimonos, but other people were just in shorts and t-shirts or the like. There were vendors selling typical vendor food, takoyaki, corndogs (bafflingly called French dogs this time), yakisoba, etc. This was a pretty small matsuri, but that's because it is a pretty small town. Some of the matsuri in bigger cities are just crazy with decorations and stands and everything on street after street. Anyway, it was really fun, and after, James, who had shown up after he got done with working, went back to his place to chill. So, I'm kind of tired today, but it was a pretty awesome experience.
If anyone reading this actually comes to Japan, I'd suggest trying to find a matsuri to go to. It's not something you can find anywhere else, and it's always fun, if only just to watch. Plus, if you go to one in a small town, it's likely some friendly person will take an interest because you're not Japanese but you're at this uniquely Japanese thing. It's said that every day there is a matsuri somewhere in Japan. It's also said that everyday there is an earthquake somewhere in Japan. So, anyway, yoshi!