Natsukashii

I came across this video while I was looking at my study abroad pictures. Chou natsukashii! This video footage is from my 3-day homestay with the Watanabe family in Okayama. The Watanabe family were very welcoming and eager to show me a good time. I have found that inaka (country) people are down-to-earth and carefree. As a result, I had no problem fitting in. Yasu, my host father who acted more like an older brother, invited me to watch a youth taiko practice at the neighborhood temple. The kids were preparing for the Aki Matsuri (Fall Festival) that would be held the following day. Lucky for me, I had the opportunity to accompany the kids during the festival. Here are some pictures from the event.

As you can tell, the little ones were absolutely adorable.

The festival ran until late in afternoon, but the festivities were far from over. For dinner, the Watanabe family and I attended several homes to enjoy delicious food, good company, and lots of sake and beer. At one of the homes, a girl named Sakura and her younger brother provided entertainment for the guests.