2015-11-29, More Leaves, Yabusame (archery on horseback) & Thanksgiving Dinner

Such a busy weekend!  Yesterday I left Hikone (by car) but today I attended events closer to home.

I started the day by making some stuffing to take over to the American teachers Thanksgiving dinner.  It turned out well.  I dropped that off at the hosts house and went to see if the leaves were pretty at the summer house of the lord of Hikone castle.  It's gotten cold so I had to talk myself into getting on my bike and riding over there.  I was lucky there wasn't any wind and I warmed up as I rode.  And of course, as I knew I would be, I was happy that I went.  It is getting harder and harder to talk myself into leaving the house for a bike ride and it's only going to get worse.  That's how I talk myself into it now.  Reminding myself that compared to what's coming this is warm...

This was my reward!  The best leaves I've found so far this year.

These are from a shrine I found down the street from the summer house.

 

Then I went to see Yabusame - archery on horseback - near the castle.

I couldn't get good pictures because the horses were moving too fast but it wasn't what I had expected.  I thought they'd run and somehow (I didn't really think it out) shoot at a target at the end of the run, or something.  I kept looking for the target but didn't see one.  As it turns out they run past 3 targets - which are squares of thin wood - and shoot at each one in turn.  So they are riding without using their hands, down a sort of alleyway of soft dirt lined with waist high rope (to keep the horses in I guess).  While moving a short distance at some speed and with cumbersome clothes, they have to reach into the arrow basket slung over their shoulders, grab an arrow, place it on the bow (not easy even when standing still, and shoot.  They are not scored on where they hit the target but only on how many targets they hit.  Most of the riders hit one or two targets but a couple of them hit all three.

You can't have an event in Japan without characters...  

After that was over, around 2:30, I rode over to Emily's house and had a nice time with other American teachers and assorted friends.

Our Thanksgiving potluck.  

With real turkey that was ordered online.

I was pretty tired by the end of the night and had to get up early the next morning for a 12 hour day.  Needless to say I pretty much collapsed Monday night, and luckily was able to sleep in on Tuesday.