Monday, September 17, 2012

Respect for the Aged Day and Part Two of the Festival Weekend

Today is a national holiday in Japan, Respect for the Aged Day. This national holiday was established in 1966 as a day to respect the elderly and celebrate long life. Originally held on September 15, it was changed in 2003 to the third Monday of September in accordance with the Happy Monday System.

The second festival of the weekend was at a smaller shrine that we happened upon after the two English teachers and I left the big Autumn Shrine Festival.  This little festival was part farmers market, part flea market, part food booths, and part talent show.


 
This talent act was quite entertaining.  The woman in the middle who was older than the others was having a good time, even if she wasn’t doing the same things as the others.


 
This man was in charge of videotaping the talent.

 
As we were leaving, two men walking around with a tray of paper covered sandwiches tried to sell us their hand-made hamburgers for 100 yen. One of the men could speak some English, but my friends could speak better Japanese.



 
Come back tomorrow to read about the big rice cake (mochi) festival. What a lot to pack into a long weekend!

1 comment:

Barb S said...

Somehow I wasn't thinking they ate hamburgers there. I was expecting a fish burger or sushi!