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Published: September 1st 2009
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The Island of Ugay
Where we stayed for the weekend. What better way to wave goodbye to the end of August and sticky hot summer days than with a festival - more specifically a Pirate Festival!
This weekend I took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Onomichi, and then took a ferry to the island of Innoshima to attend their yearly Suigun Matsuri (Pirate festival). It had pirates, huge ass torches, many, many adorable Japanese children, dancers and taiko drummers. All in all it was immensely entertaining and really a fabulous time. I'm definitely going back next year! I couldn't get enough of the pirates - I took soo many pictures.
It seemed like the locals couldn't get enough of us either. Our host was telling us that they never have so many foreigners on the island at one time so we were like mini celebrities to them. At first it was a little odd having your friend take a picture of you and then noticing a Japanese man or woman beside/behind them also taking your picture. After the first couple we just got used to it and hammed it up for them. The only strange one was a man who walked up and video tapped me sitting by myself.
I waved and gave him a little peace sign and smile hoping he'd be satisfied but no... he just trained his camera on me for another minute while I pretended to be really interested in the shoreline. He was pretty harmless though.
Unfortunately we missed the fireworks because we had to catch our last ferry back, but we ended up going back the next day to explore the Pirate castle - Suigunjo Castle. That place was amazing! If you don't mind the long hike up hill it is totally worth it for the A/C and getting to dress like a Pirate at the end. We also stopped at some little Udon shop for lunch and had a chat with the owner who had one volume - shouting. At first I thought she was angry at me for something but then I realized that no, that was just how she talked. She also thought we were insane for wanting to put wasabi in our udon. Her response was 'EEEEH??! WASABI???' followed by a look of disgust, but in the end she got her bowl of wasabi and gave us each a nice spoonful hahaha. The udon was pretty good. I
got the kitsune kind and I would probably eat it again.
It was a long day of travelling though. I still feel exhausted from it and it's been two days! I was well worth it though and I will definitely go back again next year!
This week I've been helping the students with their production of the Wizard of Oz. They are improving big time even from the last time I worked with them. I'm so proud! I can't wait to see their big production during the school's cultural festival at the end of the month.
I also tried natto the other daywhich is boxed vomit. Everyone here says it tastes okay as long as you hold your nose, which is true. Though really, I'd say it tastes tolerable, not okay. But a word to the wise - if you decide to try it, the minute you unplug your nose all you will taste is disgusting natto. It's pretty barf-tastic. So is the seaweed salad you can buy at the store here. It looks and tastes like slime in a cup. Sick.
Okay well that's all for now. I finally have a cellphone so updates to
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dad
non-member comment
your pics
these are really great shots...sounds like you are having the time of your life!