This weekend took us out, way out, through narrow, winding roads around mountains and rivers, out to Honjo.
This area is really very beautiful, and we’ll probably head back soon during the day just to explore. It makes me with I didn’t have a problem with canoes (thanks, Boundary Waters). So maybe swimming there is in my future. Who knows?
All I know is that it’s a beautiful area and I’m mad I didn’t take pictures, so this will be a very slim on pictures post 🙁
We got there about when everything started rocking. I wasn’t feeling too good, but I’m glad Chris pushed me into going. Lots of good food, and got to see some new Saiki friends there, too. The best thing, though, was the fireflies.
Since you can’t get pictures of them, it’s so dark, I’ll just have to describe it to you. Imagine the fireflies you see every summer, but bigger. Like, twice the size. And they only hang out by rivers. And when they blink, they look like fireworks. First, one seems to set it off, and then, like an explosion, they radiate out in answer from that point. Thousands of them, seeming to create their own golden firework, and then another, and another.
It was really spectacular. I have never seen firefly shows like this in Japan, so this was a first.
After that, we went back to the festival for the raffle (and to eat more food). We did a short video set around then.
We waited for the raffle, and seemingly everyone won something except us. For the big things, they waited for the end – a TV, a 3DS LL, a Nikon CoolPix, and a fold up bicycle.
Our number was 517.
518 won the 3DS.
Alas, yet another raffle in Japan were we didn’t win anything. One day, we will. One day.
Oh, and since its Japan, there is the required cute mascot character for the festival!
Bonus
The day before we went to the Banjo river, because I really wanted to stick my feet in some cold water.
That wasn’t happening.
Because the river was full of jellyfish.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Thanks, Japan.