Bunkasai

First off, thanks to Justin for making the best avatar ever (see left...) Woot for being Warhol-ified!

Perfection - This year's culture festival went well. I made a video with the English club (which is unfortunately too large to post on here...)
I'm sure I've mentioned before how the Japanese seem to pick a thing, their thing, hobby, and once it is chosen, damn if they don't do that one thing to perfection. I've had many people ask me about my interest. What is my thing? I don't know, I have many things that I'm descent at, but no one thing that I focus all of my attention on.
Anyway, I think it is this attitude, tied with the group-focus here, that creates sights such as my school's chorus competition. Now I know that at some not-so-great schools, the chorus competition can be a drag, students goof off, and god forbid they put their heart into their singing. I think of a musical my class had to do in 7th grade, a medley of 50s, 60s, and 70s pop hits, and god knows I tried to hide and open my mouth as minimally as possible to avoid complete humiliation.
These kids, however, feel compelled to give their all, as they are in competition with the other homerooms of the same grade.

Here are some of my student's drawings. She is 14 or 15 years old...



And some pictures from the Fureai Festival, the day after Bunkasai...
Miyamoto-kun making mitarashi dango

Playing shogi (who wants to teach me?!)

And a beatiful plate of sashimi I got at the post-bunkasai party...