Yukata

My last weekend in Japan before my trip home, I went to a festival in Omuta with Keizo and Allison. While we all wanted to see the dragon floats and mullet-ed denizens of Omuta, I think the main reason we went was to eat all of the great festival food--takoyaki (battered octopus balls), yakinikku (grilled meat on a stick), potato fry (French Fries) and kakigori (shave ice). I also wanted to wear my new yukata that I had bought with Jamie a week or two before.

Yukata, or summer kimono, are very popular during the summer festival season. Naoko-sensei, calligraphy teacher/cook extraordinare taught me how to tie the belt and Allison helped me get the bottom all even before we headed out. While it looks nice, you can only imagine how hot it gets with your legs wrapped together, mummy style. And since you have to mince your steps, not a whole lot of air flow is created when you walk. It was fun for a night, but I am quite relieved I don't have to wear something like this all the time.