Girl's Day
March 3rd in Japan is the time to celebrate and recognize young girls during Hina Matsuri. Sadly, I must wait for Boy's Day on May 5th to get my fair share of the celebration but in the meantime Kawai-san threw a large party at our house inviting all her friends. During the Hina Matsuri (Hina meaning doll and matsuri meaning festival) families usually prepare a set of hinaningyo or set of elaborate Japanese dolls arranged on a traditional staircase. The sets are usually handed down from family to family but since Kawai-san only has a son we borrowed our set from a friend. Shoko-san also set up hinaningyo in her house for the holiday.
Somehow, during the day Saeki-san went on Japanese radio talking about Hina Matsuri and the party we would be having that evening. She also mentioned that I would be performing Guitar Zamurai (something I had thought about but had not yet prepared). So, never one to disappoint, I wrote up this skit about some of the people attending the party
(a sample about Saeki-san, translated into english but subsequently losing most of the humor):
私 はるちゃん
いつもあたしは無口なんです って
言うじゃなーぃ。。。
でも、あんたのおしゃべりはだれにも止められませんから。。。残念!
ずっと壁としゃべてなさい ぎり！
I am Haru-chan (means "girl of the spring," Saeki-san's nickname)
"I am always quiet and reserved"
Didn't you say that?
But! Because when you have a conversation you can't stop talking... It's Too Bad!
Please go talk to a wall.
(that was fun here's another)
わしは さえき じろうです
ギターが白くて、ぼっけぇ高いよ って
言うじゃなーぃ。。。
でも、あんたのギターと髪の色とぴったりですから。。。残念!
自称３０才なんです ぎり！
I am Saeki Jirou.
"My white guitar is very expensive"
Didn't you say that?
But! Because your hair color matches your guitar...It's Too Bad!
Pretending you are 30 years old.
Anyway, the party atmosphere was wild and a ton of people came. Kawai-san's kimono teacher talked all about the origins of Hina Matsuri, what the dolls on the stairs represent, as well as the traditional colors of the Hina Matsuri. Afterwards we feasted upon copious amount of food followed by Takuro's performance of "Mexican Samba."
"Mexican Samba," or more appropriately "Matsuken Samba" in Japanese, features Ken Matsudaira (the star of a popular Samurai tv-show) wearing a bright yellow sequined kimono dancing to Latin music wearing geta and with enough backup singers to rival a Broadway musical. Sound like fun? You can listen to it here.
Takuro performed Mexican Samba for his school closing ceremony so he already had the outfit ready to go for the party.
The party slowly transformed into a concert. Tomoya, Takuro, and Jiro-sensei played some hard rock guitar tunes (certainly having nothing to do with the Hina Matsuri). I was dying by the time Jirou sang "Smoke On the Water" and begged for an encore. Saeki-san played the flute with Nano-chan on saxophone, followed by Jirou and I playing "Dock of the Bay," complete with Otis Redding's newfound Japanese accent.
At the end of the party, the Kimono teacher brought out a large wedding kimono for Amanda to wear. I wore a less impressive male kimono jacket, which still looked rather snazzy.
Overall, a very awesome Girls's Day festival.
Somehow, during the day Saeki-san went on Japanese radio talking about Hina Matsuri and the party we would be having that evening. She also mentioned that I would be performing Guitar Zamurai (something I had thought about but had not yet prepared). So, never one to disappoint, I wrote up this skit about some of the people attending the party
(a sample about Saeki-san, translated into english but subsequently losing most of the humor):
私 はるちゃん
いつもあたしは無口なんです って
言うじゃなーぃ。。。
でも、あんたのおしゃべりはだれにも止められませんから。。。残念!
ずっと壁としゃべてなさい ぎり！
I am Haru-chan (means "girl of the spring," Saeki-san's nickname)
"I am always quiet and reserved"
Didn't you say that?
But! Because when you have a conversation you can't stop talking... It's Too Bad!
Please go talk to a wall.
(that was fun here's another)
わしは さえき じろうです
ギターが白くて、ぼっけぇ高いよ って
言うじゃなーぃ。。。
でも、あんたのギターと髪の色とぴったりですから。。。残念!
自称３０才なんです ぎり！
I am Saeki Jirou.
"My white guitar is very expensive"
Didn't you say that?
But! Because your hair color matches your guitar...It's Too Bad!
Pretending you are 30 years old.
Anyway, the party atmosphere was wild and a ton of people came. Kawai-san's kimono teacher talked all about the origins of Hina Matsuri, what the dolls on the stairs represent, as well as the traditional colors of the Hina Matsuri. Afterwards we feasted upon copious amount of food followed by Takuro's performance of "Mexican Samba."
"Mexican Samba," or more appropriately "Matsuken Samba" in Japanese, features Ken Matsudaira (the star of a popular Samurai tv-show) wearing a bright yellow sequined kimono dancing to Latin music wearing geta and with enough backup singers to rival a Broadway musical. Sound like fun? You can listen to it here.
Takuro performed Mexican Samba for his school closing ceremony so he already had the outfit ready to go for the party.
The party slowly transformed into a concert. Tomoya, Takuro, and Jiro-sensei played some hard rock guitar tunes (certainly having nothing to do with the Hina Matsuri). I was dying by the time Jirou sang "Smoke On the Water" and begged for an encore. Saeki-san played the flute with Nano-chan on saxophone, followed by Jirou and I playing "Dock of the Bay," complete with Otis Redding's newfound Japanese accent.
At the end of the party, the Kimono teacher brought out a large wedding kimono for Amanda to wear. I wore a less impressive male kimono jacket, which still looked rather snazzy.
Overall, a very awesome Girls's Day festival.
1 Comments:
I'm glad you found a country that fits like a glove. Any excuse to throw a party and WEAR A COSTUME!
Love,
Mom (and Dad)
By mom, at 9:00 AM
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