Golden Week Adventures

So because we ran away to Osaka for a spell after the earthquake, we have no leave left to take from work. Last week was "Golden Week", a collection of three public holidays in a row, but those holidays this year were stranded in the Tuesday to Thursday stretch, and thus we were denied a super long weekend. So we stayed close to home, and took a day trip up to Hiraizumi in Iwate.


Hiraizumi is a collection of hilltop temples, the oldest of which are more than 900 years old. Most of the structures were built by the Fujiwara family way back then. They actually built a whole lot more than what is still standing today, but after a "golden age" of about 100 years (not too bad, really) the family fell from prominence. Many buildings were destroyed as the town faded into obscurity over the centuries, but there are still a good number dotted around the place.


We got to see a traditional sword dance, which was seen over by a rickety-looking old man keeping delighfully dubious time on a taiko drum, with a chorus of wooden flutes whistling a repetitious, hypnotic melody. I swear there were shades of Mark E Smith in the incessant, slightly off-key screedling. We dig repetition in the music and we're never going to lose it.


We ate green tea ice creams and wandered around in mossy contemplation.


When the famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho visited the area in 1689 he wrote this:

Ah, summer grasses!
All that remains
Of the warriors' dreams.

The new school year

The 1st years are eagerly writing big and small letters, the 2nd years are becoming too cool for school, and the 3rd years have put their serious student hats on. School life is back up and running.

And I'm enjoying the flowers and decorations around the grounds that seem to be helping everyone keep their chins up.

Hanami picnic parties!

Bring a tarpaulin, your drink of choice, some friends, sit under some cherry blossoms and boom its Hanami!

Happy belated Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!

Thanks to all the kind aunts, uncles, cousins and mothers for our delicious chocolatey treats.

We managed to hold off scoffing them all till Easter Sunday.

This year we made our own hot cross buns from an Alison and Simon Holst recipe. We made two batches - one for our bun deprived friends and one just for us. Although it took a good chunk out of the day to make them the results were definitely worth it - they were really really yum!!

Suddenly Sakura!

The last two days have been cold, rainy, sleety and overcast - not the best weather for flower gazing. But while I walked home this afternoon the sun wrestled with the clouds and briefly managed to throw some rays about.

Here is the first of potentially a zillion posts filled with photos of cherry blossoms.

On the streets of Osaka

While in Osaka, Gareth and I spent many days walking round our new neighbourhood.

We were utterly charmed by the old narrow streets, funny coffee shops and all the spring flower pots.

Volunteering in Ishinomaki

Ishinomaki is a town just north east of Sendai which was, like many other coastal areas of northern Honshuu, very badly affected by the tsunami that occured after last month's earthquake. When we got back from Osaka, Mirabel and I went volunteering there.




The parts of Ishinomaki that weren't completely washed away look like this, up and down every street. Basically everything that was at ground level has been ruined, and is now piled at the sides of the roads for some eventual collection. Cars, boats, appliances, bits of destroyed buildings are strewn about and covered in mud.


We went to three houses to help pick up and throw away the ruined contents and to dig out the inches of thick black mud that coated the floors.


In one house we even found a fish, who was probably quite surprised to end up in someone's hallway under their shoe rack.


Here's the band of volunteers being transported to the next job, and there will be plenty of work to do for weeks, months and years to come in Ishinomaki and other towns. We are very lucky to live where we do in northern Sendai, high above sea level and away from the coast.


Still, even the mud and debris couldn't stop spring from showing through in little spots here and there. There's hope yet.

collections

Omiyage (souvenirs) from Osaka

The book is by photographer Kotori Kawashima and features her delightful darling daughter Mirai - scowls, snotty noses and all.

Omiyage on my desk when I returned to Sendai.

Lots of delicious cakes and mochi from kindly teachers.

Gareth and I are big fans of the bottom left cake - "a financier".