I read an interesting article on nippon.com about parental involvement in youth sports in Japan. The study, conducted by the Sasakawa Sports Foundation, on parental involvement in youth sports in Japan found that mothers did more than fathers in all categories. The survey was based on the responses of 2,400 mothers whose oldest child attends elementary school.
It found that mothers looked after their child's participation to a greater degree than fathers, even when both parents worked outside the home. When the youth sport involved a team (like baseball or soccer) mothers took on even more of the duties, like transporting groups of children or preparing snacks for the team.
I don't have children and I wasn't involved in elementary school age sports myself, so I don't know who does what when it comes to youth sports. What is it like where you live? Has parental sports involvement changed any since you were a child? What would you suggest is a fair division of the youth sports tasks for parents?
Here it is - my finished boro-inspired wallet. I'm pleased with how it came out and enjoyed the stitching process. There will probably be more boro in my future.
In Japan, there is a spring holiday week starting the end of April. Usually this is a busy travel week with both Japanese and international travelers. This is the third pandemic Golden Week, with international travelers still not able to enter the country. (Business travelers and students have recently been allowed to enter Japan.)
Golden Week consists of the following holidays:
April 29 - Showa no Hi or Showa Day, which is the birthday of the late Emperor Showa or Hirohito.
May 3 - Kenpo Kinenbi or Constitution Day, in honor of the Japanese constitution which was ratified in 1947.
May 4 - Midori no Hi or Greenery Day, which honors the environment.
May 5 - Kodomo no Hi or Children's Day (or Boy's Day, as Girl's have a special day in March, which is not a national holiday).
I have ten consecutive days off from work this year. I don't have plans to go away for a big trip. Even though I have had three vaccination shots and everyone in Japan wears masks all the time, I'm happy taking fewer risks. Depending on the weather, I may walk somewhere or take a day trip to somewhere that seems safe (outdoors, no crowds). I want to do some organizing things at home and of course some stitching.
How would you spend a ten day holiday time?
Boro progress. This piece uses Japanese fabrics and is about 8" x 10".
Another dorset button in the works
I didn't work on the hand quilting the week before this last week, but this past week I have been putting in at least one length of thread and some days more. Maybe I'll post a photo next week. It's hard to notice the progress, but I am making some.
Sunday was a rainy day, not so good for outside things. I met my friend and we went to the Sushi Museum, then to eat sushi.
The museum is obviously meant for tourists. With no international tourists in the last two plus years and probably few tourists from Japan, the museum looked like it could use a little maintenance, but it was interesting anyway. The entrance fee was 500 yen per person and we were the only visitors. The museum was arranged in long narrow hallways.
After the first entrance section, was an area set up like a town road, with shops and other things.
In the middle was a shrine, where you could buy a fortune for 100 yen. I didn't get a fortune.
Continuing on, more of the "town".
The next two photos are of Kabuki pictures.
The former Emperor eating sushi.
Next was the sushi stand. The sushi was very large.
Wasabi and alcohol next.
This is the doctor's office.
This is the Kabuki Theater, with loud Kabuki singing.
Next we went to this restaurant for dinner.
I forgot to take a picture of my food until after I had eaten some of it, but there was a picture of what I ordered at the entrance, so I took a picture of it too.
We had a nice get together and a good dinner.
