Hikawa shrine festival / 氷川神社のお祭り

While Mia and I were taking a walk in Mejiro, we saw a festival on Mejiro street.

目白を娘と散歩していたら、たまたま氷川神社のお祭りに遭遇。

Since Mia loves festivals, we decided to visit the festival.

娘は御神輿や山車を見るのが大好き。もちろん見に行こうとせがまれ、祭りに足を運んだ。

It was a perfect timing to be there because they were about to start pulling the dashi. I rented the happi from a festival staff for Mia, then we joined the event to pull the dashi.

そしたらなんとタイミング良く子供達の山車引きがちょうど始まるところだったので、受付で娘用のハッピを借りて山車引きに参加した。

I think the best part of pulling the dashi is getting free snacks, drinks and sweets. We got some juice, a slice of water melon, popsicles and soda every time we stopped somewhere for a break. When we finished pulling the dashi, they gave us a bag of snacks, sweets, juice and a pear to enjoy at home.

休憩ごとにもらえるお菓子やジュースはやっぱり何歳になっても嬉しい。

This experience made me to think about how I used to love pulling a dashi and getting free snacks and sweets as a child. I thanked Mia that I got to do it again!

山車を引く子供達を見ながら、そういえば私も子供の頃にお菓子が欲しくてよく山車を引いたなぁ〜なんて考えて懐かしくなった。

Shinjuku Suwa shrine summer festival / 諏訪神社のお祭り

Mia was excited to visit matsuri (the summer festival) at Suwa shrine this morning.

お祭り好きのミアちゃんは諏訪神社のお祭りを朝からとても楽しみにしていた。

Because she was excited, she kept saying "Washhoi! Wasshoi!" in Japanese.

朝からずっとワッショイ、ワッショイと掛け声をかけていた。

Wasshoi is a shout when people gather together to carry a mikoshi that is a portable shrine during the festival.

I had to walk about twenty minutes to get to the festival from home, and by the time we got there, she was already asleep even though she put on her Hello Kitty pink yukata (summer style kimono). Also she had Donald Duck's blue fan in her hand.

ピンクのキティちゃんの浴衣を着て、ドナルドダックのうちわを持って、あんなに楽しみにしていたけれども２０分もベビーカーに揺られていたら、お祭りに着く前に熟睡。