IrishOboe

Saturday, April 8^th I had to work since it was the entrance ceremony for the new freshman. It’s a good thing I like my school and my job or I might get really mad that they’re asking me to come in for four Saturdays in five weeks. The entrance ceremony was just about like graduation in reverse with the same amount of hoopla: chairs, red carpet, heated gym, TV news, fancy clothes, etc. I tried not to think anything sinister like “Sure they treat you real good now, but once they’ve got your kids inside they’ll treat them . . .” well, like I said I tried not to have any sinister thoughts.I got some work done, though I have to say I wasn’t quite comfortable since my suit a bit tight when I have to Japan and now it, well, let’s just say I wasn’t sure if I’d actually be able to button the skirt . . .

I stayed until picture time. They take a group picture of each incoming class (6 of 40 students each) with their parents! Then they took a picture of the teachers for that year. I saw some deaf people talking so I was bold again, but of course they didn’t know American Sign Language (actually one new a few random words), so I spoke to the interpreter in Japanese and she translated for the deaf mother. Wow!

As soon as the photo was over I booked it back to my apartment so I could change for the Kofu Shingen-ko festival. If I had known about the festival earlier I would have had Mom and Dad come for it. Kofu and the castle area were packed with people, over half of whom were dressed up like samurai! It was a sight that just can’t be described. Many JETs also participated, though I don’t know how the cities can afford to keep such a mass amount of costumes for the occasion. I met up with Kasia, Leslie, Mike and many other JETs and we wandered around looking at normal festival food and at the very non-normal samurai. I got my picture with a few, but since my camera was full and low and battery I just took in the view. What craziness. It had warmed up but it grew cold and windy by the time the march started. Each group did a skit at the start for the TV crews so it made for a very long, spaced out parade. We found a spot near a flaming torch that kept us warm, though we were allowed to be so close when the wind blew people had to jump back. As Dad knows now from first hand experience, there are no lawyers in Japan. . .

On our way to the train station Leslie and I got to see a battle skit by one group where the actually spit blood. Hm, it looked more impressive than it sounds. Oh, I fell in love with kyudo again when I saw some samurai with kyudo bows and old-style quivers. Kakkoii! Samurai also look really great on horseback . . . I can’t believe I used to think that Japanese guys weren’t cute!

These kinds of experiences I just can’t put on paper well, but they really make the time here charming. It’s certainly like nothing else I’ve ever seen!

At church we celebrated Palm Sunday, and having just seen the samurai march I could better picture a city lining the streets to wave vegetation at a long-awaited King. The energy that comes from a crowd of people, especially when it’s connected with battle (which the Israelites were expecting of their King), is something that might well cause me to wave any shrub close at hand. I could feel a bit of the fear, and the awe that people had when facing a real army of samurai in anticipation of battle. Yet my imagination is so week I cannot imagine the glory of the maker of it all! What patience God has for us small-minded beings!