Sumo, Sewing, and Sightseeing

We went to our first sumo tournament last Friday. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are many nuances to everything Japanese, including sumo, so I'm sure there were many things I didn't 'get' while watching the matches. But what I saw, I enjoyed. I loved the way the wrestlers would work the crowd with a gesture, the build up before each match, the throwing of salt, the sweeping of the ring, the parading sponsors (including Hello Kitty!), the leg lifts, the tame uproars from the crowd, the flying tatami cushions over an upset... For a peek into the Japanese culture, watch the video above. It's three minutes long. 

I've been busy sewing this week. We've read that it's a good idea to take a 'transition item' to the orphanage on our first visit to meet our child. This should be an item that our child can hold/use/become familiar with after we leave and throughout the two-three months until we return to pick him up. Ideally, this will be an item that our child will bring with him back to our home. Since it will be a familiar item by that time, it's supposed to help with the transition. I say ideally and supposed to because there are no guarantees that we'll ever see this item again, but I think most people have had good luck with the transition items they've taken for their kids. I thought it would be nice to take a quilt - something useful, something warm, something handmade. I also worked on my Peru quilt this week. I've almost finished my Cock-of-the-Rock block. This was my favorite bird in Peru, and I've captured him on fabric! I'm also hoping to finish the I Spy quilt I started long ago with my mom. More photos linked below. 

We've been getting out and about with our friends Todd and Kirsten and their two kids, Riley and Tess. A couple of weeks ago, we went up Mt. Rokko for a picnic, and this last Friday we went to Kyoto for the day. We had a ramen lunch, visited the Gold Temple (Kinkakuji), and wandered the Nisiki Market.  The week before spring break, we had Japan Days at school.  We were treated to a couple of Japanese performances - Rakugo and Bukaku.  Rakugo is a mixture of story-telling and a comedy act.  It's a one-man performance, and rather than being a stand-up act, the performer is sitting Japanese style with his legs folded underneath him.  A man from Canada, clad in a maple leaf kimono(!) performed (in both English and Japanese) for our students.  He was quite good, and is trying to get an apprenticeship with a Rakugo master in Tokyo. The Bukaku is a Japanese dance typically performed for the imperial family.  Apparently, we were quite fortunate to see this dance, as most people living in Japan never see it performed. The costumes were incredibly elaborate and colorful, and the dances were interesting. I'll try to find some pictures to post. Also during Japan Days, some teachers - and all administrators - dressed in traditional Japanese clothing.  Here's Jon in a kimono - not a bad look!

Click here for more photos.