Hina Matsuri

Today we finally got to the Hina Matsuri, the Dolls' Festival.

Shoichi had invited us to come and see a flute perfomance in the factory. So we turned up around lunchtime, looked in at the amazing old doll collection, and stayed to listen to a few songs, performed by a man with South American pan pipes, and a woman with a guitar. They were Japanese, wearing Maya ponchos playing latin american folk songs in an ancient soy sauce factory. The kids managed to sit through several songs, with the help of a toffee apple each, before getting bored and having to get away.

I bought a card for Queen, we said hello to Yori, the kids were given a balloon each and we went across the street to where Mayumi was serving curry. Mayumi and me went drinking several times BB (before babies). She now has a five-month old son. We ate curry and salad and played with her baby.

Then a parade came along! I hadn't realized there would be a small parade today, it was a bonus after having to miss the last one due to Amy's asthma flaring up. There were three kindergarten groups, including one set wearing little prince and princess costumes, some rickshaws, including the rickshaw of the future pictured below, and finally the Hina Matsuri princess, dressed in all twelve layers of kimonos! She was beautiful and the girls were quite excited about seeing the princess!