Takanabe Sunflower Festival

The weekend of the 16^th to 17^th of August is Takanabe’s Sunflower festival. The main attraction is one of the largest group of sunflower fields in the world.  You can view the sunflowers from the platforms set up or just wander through the fields. There are food stalls and entertainment. The sunflowers are grown in fields which are normally used to grow cabbages so there are a lot of cabbage based products as well. On the final day of the festival, you are allowed to pick and take home the sunflowers as they will be cut down the next day to make room for all the cabbages. 

Takanabe Lantern Festival

Every year, around the 10th of October, Maizuru Park in Takanabe hosts a lantern festival. 灯篭祭 The festival takes place over two days.

Members of the public light the stone lanterns which can be found all over the park. 

The river of fire towards the top of the park is one of the most spectacular features. 

One area has lanterns made by local children. 

There is also a lantern designing competition and many business submit colourful displays.

Outside of the park are food stalls and entertainment stages. 

Southampton Water Again

A few weekends ago I went to Southampton water again to watch a battle of Britain flyover. The flyover was short but impressive. The roaring drone of the planes made me think about what it must have been like to hear those sounds for real 70 years ago.

After the flyover we decided to have a picnic since it was nice and sunny. However, when we got out of the shop the weather had changed and we had to eat her ice creams in the cold, wet wind.

We then had a stroll along the beach by the water. Well I say beach but actually it was mainly stones. All the industrial stuff in the distance makes for an almost apocalyptic landscape don't you think?

Finally we explored Victoria Country Park which used to be home to a massive military hospital. All that remains now is a single chapel which you can see in the picture above.

Littlehampton

I recently went on a random trip to Littlehampton. Not much there other then the seaside but it was fun despite the bad weather.

We found a dogfish on the sandbanks.

Halloween and Bonfire night have been and gone and I'm still unemployed despite none of my job applications actually having been rejected yet. At this rate I might have to wait till I go to Japan to get a job. Oh well, at least I carved an awesome pumpkin this year.

Say hello to my friend Bob who sadly I was forced to lay to rest in the rubbish bin today.

Hinamatsuri

On the third of March it was Hina matsuri, the doll festival in Japan. Also know as the girls festival. Japanese families with young girls make this big elaborate displays of dolls in traditional costumes in there houses. They are designed to represent an ancient Japanese court with an emperor and an emperor and various courtiers. Our house keeper put this display up in the communal area of the dorm. We also had a little party.

Gakushuin school festival

Around the end of October beginning of November my university Gakushuin had a 3 day school festival. This is apparently normal in both Japanese universities and schools. Most of the clubs and societies of the university had booths or performances ranging from selling some homemade food to a portable planetarium run by the earth sciences club.

We saw this giant dance performance by some kind of hip-hop dance group. It was interesting to watch but dragged on for a bit.

Most of the savory food that was being sold had meat in it so I mostly ate crepes and other sweet things. They were very good though.