Experience Japan 2017

A fantastic day at the Experience Japan Festival 2017 at Farmleigh. The weather was grey and quite cold, but the organisers must have made a good quantity of "teru teru bōzu", as it stayed dry throughout the day.

The crowds were even bigger than last year, probably a lot to do with the free shuttle bus from Dublin Bus, bringing in people every ten minutes from Parkgate Street near Heuston Station. We found the traffic much easier on the way in than last year. On the way out, well, it was busy. What can I say!

In terms of the program, a similar fare, which was perfect: performances at the main stage (drums, dancing, cute little children singing, etc. etc.), a food court (much bigger than last year - crazy busy, long queues for some of the stalls, not enough benches, but we managed!), craft exhibitions, calligraphy (get your name written in Japanese), haiku readings, rakugo, cosplay, origami, kimono dressing, and of course, martial arts demonstrations!

We went early and I stayed on, as this was the location chosen by Dublin Sketchers for its outing this week! I enjoyed sketching the martial arts, mostly the kendō, and some aikido masters at rest (or, rather, in conversation)

And a Japanese lady even gave me three homemade onigiri. Oishikatta desu!

I can't believe I missed the dorayaki stand, though!

Here are my sketches from the day:

And to finish, a little warabe uta I just found!

Teru-teru-bōzu, teru bōzu
Ashita tenki ni shite o-kure
Itsuka no yume no sora no yo ni
Haretara kin no suzu ageyo

Teru-teru-bōzu, teru bōzu
Ashita tenki ni shite o-kure
Watashi no negai wo kiita nara
Amai o-sake wo tanto nomasho

Teru-teru-bōzu, teru bōzu
Ashita tenki ni shite o-kure
Sore de mo kumotte naitetara
Sonata no kubi wo chon to kiru zo

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu
Do make tomorrow a sunny day
Like the sky in a dream sometime
If it's sunny I'll give you a golden bell

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu
Do make tomorrow a sunny day
If you make my wish come true
We'll drink lots of sweet sake

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu
Do make tomorrow a sunny day
but if it's cloudy and I find you crying (i.e. it's raining)
Then I shall snip your head off