Bishamonten Daruma Festival and Iwamotoyama Park with Friends

On the holiday (the Emperor’s birthday) Monday, I met with two friends to attend a festival, eat lunch, see and smell plum blossoms in a park, and finally, drink coffee and talk some more. The three of us attended this festival in 2024, and I posted about it here. The festival is held at the Myoho-ji temple, and the dates for the three day festival has to do with the moon. I don’t know how it works.

If you don't know about Daruma dolls, check out this link, to learn all about them. In short, they are traditional Japanese good luck charms that symbolize resolution and perseverance in achieving goals. When you buy the doll, it has two blank eyes.  You color the left eye as you make a wish or goal, then the right one when you achieve the wish or goal. The next year, after the second eye is colored in, you can return it to the temple to be burned.

We went early, but this is a popular festival and a Monday holiday, so it was crowded.

There were many daruma vendors. The colors are for different things, like wealth, or health, or relationships, or other things.  My friends each bought one, but I didn’t buy one this time.

This dragon roof is an interesting feature of the incense burner at the temple.

In addition to the daruma dolls, there were many food vendors.

Then, we walked back to the train station. The train was decorated for the festival.

We had an udon noodle lunch. It was inexpensive and really good. After lunch, we went to Iwamotoyama Park, where there are plum trees in bloom. I had been to this park once before, but not when the plum trees were in bloom.

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After the park, we had coffee and talked more, then it was time to go home. It was a good day.

Work in Progress Wednesday

The Tale of Genji progress

Knot Garden progress 

A new project that is actually old - 

When I lived in Hokkaido, I went to a craft sale with a friend and posted a picture of my purchases. If you look in the upper right of the photo, you can see a kit for a zipper pouch.  

Finally, I decided to start working on it. I cut out all the pieces and made the bias binding. Stay tuned to see how I do with the instructions.

Susanoo Shrine and Kawazu-Zakura Festival

Last week I went to Susanoo Shrine’s Hina display in Izu-Inatori and the Kawazu-Zakura Festival. 

I visited this shrine in 2018 to see the Hina display, and even met the Hina Princess. This year, there was no princess, but the display was still beautiful. There are 118 levels and 380 dolls.

Looking down from the top.

Next, I went to Kawazu. The Kawazu-zakura is the earliest cherry tree to bloom. Every year in early February, the town holds a festival along the 4 km river with over 850 trees.

This photo from Asahi Shinbun 

           

The trees are on both sides of the river. There were a lot of people (and dogs) taking pictures of themselves under the trees. There are also many food and drink stands.

The cherry blossom festival runs through March 8th.