In Which I Take My First Train Ride

This past week was Obon week in Japan. Obon is an annual Buddhist festival where family ancestors' spirits return to visit. Lanterns are hung outside of houses to guide them, and then the lanterns are put in the river to float away and guide the ancestors back. Obon also is traditionally a week of travel. No one else was going to be at school this week, so I was given the week off too! I decided to to a bit of traveling with the other ALT at my school.

Our first stop was Kumamoto City. While in the city, I decided to buy a yukata (cotton kimono) to wear to the Obon festival at the end of the week. I was lucky to find one so late in the season! We also visited Kumamoto Castle. It is the 3rd largest castle in Japan, and is more than 400 years old. Also on the list was Suizenji Park. This is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen. It is modeled to give the impression of traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo, and even has a model of Mt. Fuji.

The next day, we traveled to Aso city. Aso city is actually in the Aso volcano caldera. The Aso caldera is one of the largest volcanic caldera in the world. One of the inner caldera is still active, and a cable car ride to the top takes you right up to the tip. We went all the way to the top, but the weather was so bad we couldn't see 5 feet in front of us! I was disappointed we couldn't see the steaming crater, but hopefully I will be able to come back!

We then traveled by bus to Nagasaki city. Nagasaki is a fascinating city, a mix of ancient and modern scenery and architecture. As I had experienced the anniversary of the atomic bomb in Sasebo just a week earlier, I definitely wanted to stop by the hypocenter and museum. Going to the museum was definitely a heavy experience. There was a timeline explaining various events leading up to, during, and after the bombing. There were many many fragment pieces from various materials (including parts of buildings, clothing, and even skull and hand bone fragments). A lifesize mock up of the "fat man" was on display, as well as survivor testimonies. Some things really hit hard, like seeing a damaged girl's lunch box, with her rice inside. There was a testimony of a little girl watching her mother call for help. Her sister's legs were trapped underneath their house. Many soldiers tried, but left. The fires were approaching, so her mother, already weakened and injured by the bomb, lifted the beam by herself at great physical cost, and freed her daughter. The mother later died. Although the museum was very somber, I think it was definitely a good thing to see.

Later that night, a festival was planned for the last day of Obon. Many lantern floats paraded by and millions of fireworks were detonated all over the place. I was glad I headed earlier advice and invested in earplugs, because it was LOUD. Fireworks would go off within 5 feet of me with little notice. Some teens threw fireworks at a policeman in the street, and he didn't even flinch! Afterwards, the streets were littered with ash and leftover fireworks.

Definitely a great week!