2015-06-08, A Very Busy Weekend!

I had a fully packed, very fun and very tiring weekend.  It started off with a flower arranging class at 10am put on by the International Association.  I had really been looking forward to this class since I haven't done or seen any ikebana since I returned to Japan.  As it turns out it wasn't really an ikebana class - there were no rules and no special forms - it was a 'use your imagination' class (very unlike ikebana).  Still it was fun and I met people from Brazil and the Philippines and everyone did very different things with the same flowers.

I found it hard to use oasis after using the ikebana frogs.  It's much harder to move and change the positions of the flowers since the oasis falls apart.  The teacher also gave us good ideas for making cheap vases (or flower holders).

After the class I rode home (carefully with the ceramic vase and flowers in my basket), put the flowers away and rode south to the University of Shiga where there was a festival going on.  One lawn had a flea market with lots of used children's things as well as some things for adults. 

Children's activities

Another area had food stalls, although they had already run out of somethings.  There were bands here and there, and some other booths as well.  They were going for an 'eco' theme and they used plastic bowls which you had to return and you had to rent chopsticks as well.

This was interesting.  Playing an electric guitar while wearing a yukata....

 On my way out I came across a booth where you could whittle chopsticks out of bamboo.  I tried but unfortunately I didn't have enough time to do a good job...

Next it was off to Japanese class.  Then to the supermarket to buy ingredients for a potluck with the American teachers.  I made little stuffed peppers.  It was fun and I was tired by the time I got home around 11:30pm.

On Sunday I rode to the station and headed to a little town called Azuchi to a festival for Nobunaga, the lord of the Azuchi Castle (all that's left are the ruins).  As I walked out of the station I walked straight into the parade.  There were the usually participants - boy scouts, marching bands, etc.

They played the Battle Hymn of the Republic which I found quite amusing.

And then there were these types that you won't see in an everyday parade.

It seemed a little odd to have the jr. high girls walking between the samurai in their school uniforms.
They were holding signs to tell the crowd who the samurai were.

I think these boys were supposed to be German or Dutch.

I followed the crowd as they followed the parade to the festival grounds which were near the castle ruins.

A temple along the way.

I thought this was an interesting idea - a personal greenhouse for the plant!
There were a few of these in someone's garden.

Down some narrow streets.

Many people use these bamboo 'curtains' to keep out the summer sun.

Azuchi is a small countryside town.  Most people seemed to
have vegatable or flower gardens near there houses.

There was a performance at a shrine.

Japanese armour.

I bought some vegatables at a booth along the way and then 

decided to take this little boat ride along the moat.

Such a nice breeze.  And so quiet.

Then into the fray!

Lots of food booths, yummy smells and hard decisions.

Children and adults could try on these uniforms.

Throughout the day bands played, the samurai had mock sword fights, etc.

Samurai have to eat too!

Plenty of room for a picnic.

Serving tea outside.  Not the best but fun.

After some karaage (Japanese fried chicken), a cup of apple cider and the tea and sweet I was ready to climb up to the castle ruins.  I can't beleive I didn't take a picture that showed the steepness.  From the boat all you could see were the stones of the steps and little tiny figures walking up and down.  It looked like something from a south pacific island with people going up to the top of a volcano to be sacrificed.... Maybe not, but that's what it brought to mind!

It was quite a steep climb.  Much higher than Hikone castle and the stone steps were MUCH steeper.   It certainly wouldn't have been easy for an attacking army (or for the people who had to carry supplies up to the castle.) Except at the beginning, each step was at least the height of two regular stairway steps so it wasn't easy going up or down!! Hard on the knees and hips, but good exercise for sure!

There were some pretty hydrangea along the way - a good excuse to stop here and there.

Bamboo

I love rock walls.

This is where Nobunagasan is buried.

They don't know what this was used for.

The top.  I don't know why those boulders are all around unless
they were used to support the beams of the castle.

Nice views.

Going down was a little easier but harder on the knees as it was
almost like jumping down each step.

This was odd - it looked like it was growing out of the ground.

The main part of the festival.

This is an area in which you can rent a little bbq and buy food to cook on it.

My reward for climbing up - some refreshing melon flavored kakigori (shaved ice).

There are many different ways to get to train stations or across the tracks.  And ALWAYS lots of walking!
The middle aisle is actually for bicycles I think (you walk your bike).

And this is the man it was all for - Nobunagasan.

I was so tired I decided to take the shuttle bus back to the train station and just skip the area I hadn't gotten to yet.  I had some time to kill and I noticed a Japanese sweet shop across the street that had a sign advertising mochi with kumquat inside, something I had never heard of...  so of course I had to try one!!!   And while I was there I got another with blueberry and cream cheese (which I ate tonight - yum - I'll have the kumquat one tomorrow).  When I got back to Hikone I talked myself into going across the tracks to the Uniclo store to pick up a sweatshirt for the cool nights.  And to the Y100 store to get a couple of pitchers.  Probably wasn't the best idea since I was so sore and tired and it wasn't that close.  But it's a pain to get my bike across the tracks, so I took the opportunity before I retreived my bike from the parking lot.  I was very happy to finally get on my bike and ride home.  Once again I realized that walking and riding involve totally different muscles.

I filled the tub immediately and got in even before eating supper.  Afterwards I was still so sore that my joints hurt even just sitting on the couch -  I had to keep changing positions.  I finally gave up and went to bed - and slept VERY well.  When I woke I was fine.  Hoping for more fun next weekend!