Day 75: Two Surprises

As I glared at the downstairs computer screen for the 3rd consecutive hour, I heard shouts from outside, but assumed it was just some high school kids talking loud and ignored it. After about an hour of continuous talking and intermittent music, I finally went out to investigate. I thought it was going to be some store having a grand opening or something. What a surprise! The whole street was decked out head-to-toe with street vendors selling fried everything, shaved ice, mochi and more! Squarish canvas flags hung off them and became illuminated by the dull street light passing through. Flanking the food stands were dozens of street games, from ball tosses to darts to eating contests. I was reminded of the "American Carnival" we orchestrate at each USA Summer Camp, and I thought that for all that we hype it up to be, this small street festival is no different. Elementary schoolers ran around from station to station, pulling at their mothers' yukata, demanding more coins to play the games. If they were lucky, they made away with a tiny orange goldfish in a plastic baggie of water as their winnings. Saruku-chan, the unofficial mascot of Nagasaki, was there as well, wobbling around in his inflated plastic suit and ceaselessly posing for pictures. I snapped a few myself, though I wish I had worked up the courage to take pictures of more of the children dressed in yukatas or jinbei. Most had small round fans sticking out from the bow in the back of their sash. I think it's wonderful that families still find multiple occasions per year to don these traditional garments, and it's not a serious or historical matter but still very much current. We wear regular clothes to work and traditional clothes in celebration. I must've only stayed a half-hour before I made the 10-step-long trek back to my front door. And that was the surprise Shindaiku-machi street matsuri.


After a while I began to get hungry, and after looking up a recipe on the internet, decided to make tortillas. They're surprisingly easy to make, and I had all the ingredients already: flour, milk, salt, baking powder, vegetable oil. I made a sticky mass of dough and was kneading it in my flour-y hands when I heard a shrill baby's shriek from the living room. Caught totally off-guard, I open the door to see Narumi-kun's face staring up at me. Even though it was near ten at night, Atsuko had come to work on one of her projects, bringing with her her whole family: husband Tsubasa, 2-year-old Kaname and 7-month-old Narumi, a.k.a. The Cutest Baby Who Ever Lived. Dad and kids were sitting on the floor watching a movie, while Atsuko worked on the computer. I must have been cooking for half an hour before I noticed! So that was surprise #2. And by the way, the tortillas were GLORIOUS, a little more like pitas than tortillas, but glorious nonetheless.


The streets were decked with red lanterns.


The street vendors sold lots of fried foods.


My favorite, the shaved ice stand.


Workers make wataame, literally cotton candy.



And just a block down, it's as lonely and desolate as ever.


Kids pose for pictures with Saruku-chan.


This is what my house looks like at night.