my last summer in japan

it is my last summer here in japan, after staying here for more than two years. i should be enjoying it by now, but alas! i had to suffer two months longer than my batchmates, because i had trouble finishing my academic requirements. :-(

just the same, i was able to find time some time to see hanabi or the fireworks festival, very popular throughout japan during summer. there are two of the many traditional events during summer in japan: bon and hanabi. bon is observed by japanese by comemmorating their departed ones. during this time, they believe that the souls of their loved ones who had gone ahead, come back to visit them. that's why, it also around this time that ghost stories abound. some said, ghost stories are meant to cool off people because of the hot weather.

in tokyo, millions go to see the hanabi. young girls, and some boys, wear their summer kimono. two years ago, girls clad in this costume was always a treat for me and my Filipino friends. after two years, they still are pleasant to look at, but the novelty has lose its appeal to us.

this year, we watched hanabi in arakawa river. nearest station is kumagaya. but arakawa river is one of the longest rivers in japan, and stretches as far as tokyo (arakawa ward, where me and husband stayed for about six months), to saitama, nearby honjo, where my dormitory is now located.

unlike the first time me and my friends watched hanabi in tokyo, we were not able to camp. we were in the midst of roughly a million gaijins and locals, who had to contend watching the fireworks behind mansions. when we reached the bridge, closest to the river, it was already past 9pm, and the last shower of fireworks was way over.

this time, we camped around 5pm. me and my friends stayed until 102nd presentation. i dont know how many presentation of fireworks was shown, but we had already seen the biggest presentation by then, so me and my friends went ahead.

it was a beautiful experience. we dont why japanese hold fireworks during summer, but in china and in our country, it is held during new year's eve, as a way of welcoming the year ahead. one theory we made that night was, probably, it is japanese' way of celebrating the souls of their departed loved ones, who happen to be visiting them too around those time.