Hanami

Spring is one of the most beautiful times in Japan. There's always a bunch of different flowers blooming and the weather is lovely. One of the things that the Japanese most look forward to is when the cherry blossoms bloom. They bloom in a very short period of time (a few days from buds to blossoms) and are gone just as quickly. Usually there is only one good weekend of cherry blossom viewing because they are so fragile, they quickly blow away or are stripped by the spring rain. It looks like it is snowing with all the petals blowing to the ground. Every year they put out a forecast for when the blossoms will bloom. On that weekend all the Japanese go outdoors and prepare huge picnics to enjoy wherever there are trees blooming. This "flower viewing" is called Hanami here in Japan. 

We went to Nimitz park in downtown Sasebo. It was packed with people, but Eisley loves it because they have a great playground. She was having so much fun on all the slides, and worked her way up to the huge two story covered twisty slide. She is such a brave little girl! She loves being scared and getting a thrill. I have a feeling shes going to love roller coasters once she is tall enough. 

Eisley loves dogs! She tried to steal this lady's little dog.

smelling the flowers

We also took the opportunity to take some family pictures with such a beautiful backdrop. Eisley is a girl of may expressions!

We really wanted to take the time to enjoy the weather and the time together. I am sad this is our last spring in Japan so I'm trying to document it so I can look back and remember it well, Pictures don't quite do justice to these beautiful trees. They are all over the city, even popping up in the middle of forested mountainsides. Its lovely just to drive around and see them everywhere. 

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Setsubun

Setsubun is the fun way the Japanese welcome spring every year. It is celebrated on February 3rd, the day before spring and is commonly thought of similarly to new years where the year is renewed. We went to Mamemaki, or bean scattering ritual, at a local shrine in Sasebo.

The ceremonial burn pit filled with gift offerings.

Miyajidake Shrine

Wooden wish plaques called Ema

Setsubun is celebrated to drive out the bad spirits, ogres, and to bring in good luck. It is common to see ogre masks. Celebrants throw roasted soybeans at these ogres and yell "Oni Wa Soto! Fuku Wa Uchi!" meaning Demons out! Good luck in!.  At the shinto shrine priests perform a cleansing ritual that involves dancing, chanting, shooting "arrows" from a bow, and honoring members of the congregation that were born during that Zodiac year. This is the year of the monkey, so all the "monkeys" wore special outfits and sat in an honored place before being called up to throw beans to everyone else. 

This years honored zodiac, the monkeys

Eisley was super interested, she wasn't afraid of the ogres and really enjoyed the drumming.

Tossing packets of soybeans

It looks like Eisley was scared of the ogre, but she was just mad because we were keeping from running around and destroying stuff. 

After the religious ceremony we were invited to receive mochi to toast in the bonfire to put into our sweet bean soup.

mochi cakes

Toasting mochi cakes over the gift bonfire

Sweet bean soup with toasted mochi

Another item eaten at Setsubun is Ehomaki, or the lucky direction roll. It usually includes dried calabash, egg, eel, and shiitake mushrooms. You are supposed to stand and eat it while facing the lucky direction of that years zodiac sign. 

We had so much fun and we loved having the chance to have a new cultural experience! 

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