2025/07/26 Wrapped in the bustle of the festival ~Changes and inheritance felt within the circle~

2025/07/27

The breeze that flows in the moment I open the window in the morning is pleasant.
My routine is more relaxed than usual.
It is an important morning time for me now.

In the morning, I finished my second daughter's vaccination and went to the girls' piano lesson. Since it was the last lesson before the recital, they were more focused than usual. The teacher's words, "Start playing as if you are bouncing," echoed several times.

A moment where I suddenly realize my eldest daughter's growth, wondering if she has reached an age where delicate expression is required.

And at 6:00 PM, I head to the Bon Odori festival that we had been looking forward to with my sisters dressed in yukata.

Thoughts put into handmade yukata and the passage of time

The breeze that blew from time to time mixed pleasantly, and the scent of summer became even stronger.

The savory smell of the food stalls and the somewhat nostalgic sound of the festival drums. Even as an adult, my heart leaps at this special atmosphere.

The beaming smiles when they met their friends.
The special feeling of walking around the stalls with friends with pocket money in hand.

I feel that the essence of the festival is being passed down.

Watching my daughters in their handmade yukata running around happily with their friends, I realize once again the richness of time created by this small effort.

Ready-made clothes are fine, too. But including the time spent sewing these yukata, a special quality is born.

The changing form of festivals
The unchanging joy of children

The Bon Odori festival when I was a child was something where everyone would form a circle and dance around.

I recall how impressive it was to see people of various generations, centered around my usually quiet grandmother and the elderly in the neighborhood, dancing happily.

But today, it's a little different.
Stylish food trucks and stalls.
The children's happy laughter is the main thing.

Depending on the region and the era, the form of the festival varies.

Even so, there is no doubt that the bustle from before COVID is returning. There is an unchanging warmth in the smiles and conversations of the people who gather.

A sense of unity throughout the region that has been bustling for the first time in a while.

After all, it is only by getting excited in the community like this.
I realize once again that casual community interaction is actually very precious.

Feeling the temperature of the community

On the way home, my daughters are enthusiastically talking about how fun the Bon Odori festival was.

They are definitely making today a special day.

I think that our daily lives are supported by such local events and seasonal traditions.

Interactions with local people also all connect to form one large circle. The connection between people and the feeling of cherishing the seasons will be passed down unchanged.

What kind of warm circle do you have in your community?

The first step toward thinking about the future might be in the daily life right at our feet.

＼ If you like, please take a look at this too ／
▶︎ From the life-sized days of a mom who wakes up at 4 AM
　6 episodes that remain in my heart.

▶︎ Not "increasing time",
　Just "changing how you feel."

▶︎ The 6-month record of note,
　has become a letter from me now

Please start with what interests you ♪

Thank you so much
for reading until the end!

What I want to leave for my children is not just memories of a lively festival. I also want to gently pass on the "comfort of human connections" and the "strength of a community that cares for each other" that lies in the background.

Let's find small happiness again tomorrow.
Well then, see you later!