Life in Fukuoka, Japan

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Yanagawa Hina Festival

The Yanagawa Hina Festival is where little girls in bright kimono ride on river boats for their first festival, while the reflections of sagemon (hanging ornaments unique to the Yanagawa region) glimmer on the river.

A group of teachers and there families went to Yanagawa today to see the festival. As it turned out, we were actually in the river to enjoy it up close and personal. We did not see the beginning of the route where the girls ride in the boats under the sagemon. We began at the opposite end and travelled down the river. We met up with the colorful boats with the young girls inside near a bridge. We were able to stay in one location while the boats passed by us.

One thing that was quit amusing was that while we were in our boats the people in other boats and along the river would call out to us and take our photos. We were taking photos of them while they were taking photos of us.

When we went under the bridges we had to bend way down in the boat. Some of the bridges are very low to the water. It was an interesting experience.

Yanagawa is known for their steamed eel. Obviously, I did not eat any...but it was being cooked all around. Not the best fragrance, but I am sure many people enjoy it.

Enjoy the photos.

The boat men waiting for people to take down the river.

A boat doing down the area with the sagemon.

A bridge with the picture of the boats on the rivers.

Our boat captain. He even sang a song for us.

Many boats on the river.

More boats

The sagemon hanging over the river.

The dolls and sagemon on the side of the river.

This was displayed at the police station.

Girls in their kimonos.

Adorable girls in the boat.

Girls in kimonos.

Girls in the boat.

Looking behind our boat.

People on the bridge were taking photos of us.

A classic VW Bus.

The side at the train station.

Boats along the way.

Close up of girls.

Close up of the musicians.

Sagemon and doll display in a shop.

Eel sign

Fishing nets

Girls and women in kimonos.

Other boaters traveling down the river.

Going under a bridge.

A house along the river.

The musicians behind us.

Display in the shop where we bought our tickets for the boat ride.

Sagemon

Samurai

Shops along the river.

Close up of the shops along the river.

Statue along the river. Our boat driver sang us a song in front of this.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Catching up.........

Well, it appears that I have been neglecting my blog for quite some time. My last post was on October 17, 2013. It seems to me that that was so long ago.

On December 19, 2013 I will begin my Christmas vacation. There have been so many things happening between my last post and today. There is no way that I can catch up in one post, so stayed tuned for more to come once I am off of school.

My mother was still visiting on October 18th. I do remember what a busy day it was though. We had booked a ride on the Fukuoka Open-Top bus for a tour around Hakata and Tenjin. I was looking forward to it since I had never been driven around that area. I do remember that it was very sunny and warm. I did enjoy seeing the area from an above street level view.

That evening was also the Lantern Festival in Hakata. I have always loved seeing the designs that are created. My mother and I were also looking forward to seeing the geishas. I was not able to see them the previous year. We met some friends at the festival and walked around the route with them. We did get to see the geishas. Unfortunately, my camera did not do a good job taking zoomed in photos. I need to make sure that I have a new lens before next years festival.

Oh, I did just remember something that happened as we were coming home on the subway from the lantern festival. We were all in the subway and our group was talking in English. Even the Japanese teacher was talking in English. Well, I do not know what all happened at first but all of a sudden a man was yelling at our group saying that this is Japan and everyone should be speaking Japanese. He as very, very angry. Now, my mom and I were not with the others right by him. We were standing on the opposite side from him. We were going to stay on the subway because we had to go one station farther than the others. My friends said she felt it would be better if we got off, too and waited for the next train to come through. We did that and we were a little surprised when we made it back to Meinohama that the same man was at the station waiting for a train to head west of Meinohama. We just walked past very quickly. It was very stressful!

My mother and I also went to a festival that was held in front of the Fukuoka Tower. I can't remember now if it was the same day or not, but either way I have shared some photos from that, too.

Enjoy the photos. I will try to get caught up next weekend.