Matsuri upon matsuri

Japanese summers are filled with festivals, or matsuri, which were abundant in Kumamoto this year like always. In preparation, I went shopping for my first yukata with Billy, a wonderful German girl living here who has an amazing eye for style and frequently wears yukata or kimono.

She took both Kohei and I to a little store she frequently volunteers at in the middle of nowhere, and what a gold mine. I’m super lucky in the sense I’m not particularly tall, the only struggle is that sometimes my ass ruins the flow of the yukata and screws up the pattern. Billy was such an asset; she helped me find not only two yukatas, with obi and all of the other accessories, but I found the most beautiful furisode (kimono with long sleeves) that I’ll be able to wear once it gets cooler.

All of this came to ¥13,000 which is an absolute steal, as some yukata alone cost that much. Kohei got even more of a bargain, his yukata was only ¥500. I’m going to start taking lessons with Billy, in the hope one day I’ll be able to dress myself and even continue wearing them once I go home.

The first chance I got to wear my own yukata was at Sheridan’s junior high schools summer festival. It was super cute, with lots of food stalls, so many kids dressed in their own yukatas, and some dancing that Sheridan and I of course joined in on. My favourite part was the banana auction, which I got overly excited about and won a bunch of about 12 for the most ridiculous price. I practically turned into one by the end of the week I ate that many.


I don’t know what gave Sheridan’s school such high status, but special guest of the evening was beloved Kumamon. I’m not sure who was more excited, the children, or Sheridan who was practically hyperventilating next to me.

Sadly, I couldn’t go to my own school’s summer festival because something else even more exciting was thrown my way. Last year, on the day I moved into my apartment, was the Hinokuni Matsuri. It’s probably the biggest festival in the year for Kumamoto, and I remembered getting drunk off Strong Zeros while watching hundreds of people dance in a parade and dancing along with them. 

This year, I got the chance to perform the otemoyan dance myself, along with Sheridan, Kohei, Olivia, Mitra and Bilal. It was so much fun, and not even the impending typhoon headed our way was going to stop us dancing for two hours. Best part of the night? Kumamon danced with us during the parade.

Taiko Festival time!

Back in October, I briefly mentioned how I’d just started taiko drumming with Chloe and Kim. Our group actually dances Eisa (エイサー) which is the traditional performing art originating from Okinawa. There a three types of drums; odaiko (the big one I play), and two smaller handheld ones, shimedaiko and paranku. 

I’ll admit, after weeks of practicing our posture and form, the basic foot work and the correct arm placements for hitting the drum, I felt like a big girl when I got handed a drum and told to put it on. Needless to say I felt like I had a temperamental child strapped to me that neither did what I wanted, knocked me off balance and threw itself in the opposite direction.

Fast forward to almost 6 months later, having just performed for the first time at the Ryukyukoku Matsuri in Oita. Don’t get me wrong, I was nervous as anything, especially since they’d decided to change the formations 3 times in the week leading up to the performance. 

Extra pressure was added when they announced how the Kumamoto team had three ALT’S; like I needed more eyes staring at me and my glowing whiteness.

That was an ongoing theme of the day though, since being the only foreigner does make you stick out. However the children whispering “gaikokujin”, seeing me smile, asking me if I understood and freaking out when I replied were actually pretty cute.

Despite the killer early morning meeting at 4:30am, the entire day was something I’m so glad I got to experience. Especially since now the younger members of the group have warmed to us, rather than staring at us petrified like they once did. We only performed one song being the novices we are, but we’re being taught more routines as the weeks go on, so maybe next time we’ll get to show off our skills a little more. 

I’ll admit that despite feeling like a pretty cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle all day, I’ve never been happier than when I could finally take my tabi off (which I’d been taped into might I add). Cankles don’t exist in Japan, that’s something I’ve had to come to terms with.