*the first Obon in Yamashita, Tomie Town*

Having moved to Goto, it's been two months since I arrived on August 12th.

I experienced Obon for the first time in Yamashita, Tomie Town.. (is an annual Japanese holiday that commemorates and remembers deceased ancestors)

Normally, it would be the time for visiting my family's ancestral grave, but having spent 23 years in Canada and not having a family home anymore, I couldn't go back every year. So, instead, I made sure to pay my respects to my ancestors daily.

Therefore, rather than visiting the grave just because it was "Obon," I wanted to cherish the experiences I could have now. With that sentiment, I deliberately chose not to return to Nagasaki where my family used to live and stayed in Tomie Town.

Obon in Goto is a bustling time with people returning to their hometowns and tourists. Local shops, restaurants, cafes, and such are all very busy. It's a good thing! 😀

I'm helping out at a nearby store, and they're really busy making bento boxes from early morning.

My task was making rolled sushi. Rolling sushi endlessly for hours...

The ladies who are over 20 years older than me have so much energy, seriously! 💦

"Yodoretaro?" "Kuwashikane."

I'm not familiar with these dialect words they're throwing around, so I ask what they mean. And then, the ladies happily explain the meanings of the dialect expressions.

"Yodoretaro?" means "Aren't you fed up already?" "Kuwashikane." means "You're doing a good job."

You must be tired of making rolls all the time. But you're rolling them so well.

And then, one of the ladies gladly teaches me a rather crude dialect phrase: "Yodore hakkabutta."

This expression, which I've never heard before, apparently means

"To be so tired that you feel like throwing up" (laughs).

Yes, after rolling sushi for hours, I'm indeed "yodore hakkabutta", lol.

And then, the landlady enthusiastically invites me: "What are you up to tonight? Will you come to see Tomie's Obon? We'll all go to the graves together. You'll see Onneonde too. Shall we have dinner together? While you're here in Yamashita, why don't you have various experiences?"

This landlady jumped straight out of a manga from the early Showa era. She's cheerful, kind, and strong-willed.

"If you go straight down "that street", you'll see the graves. Go there first, and then come to my house."

I don't know "that street", I don't know where their graves are, and I don't even know where she lives. But I trust her words and think,

"If I go straight down that road, maybe it's here." So, I drive around with my car and... "I found them!" The landlady's directions were really accurate (laughs).

So, I light incense and took a seat as instructed. It's not for fireworks, it's not for chatting; for about an hour, we're waiting for something.

Among their relatives, my son and I feel a bit out of place. Still, we wonder what this quiet atmosphere is about, and hesitantly I ask, "Are you waiting for someone?"

"You can't leave until the candle inside the lantern goes out."

Ah, I see!

To properly welcome the souls of the ancestors who have returned for Obon, they wait until the candle inside the lantern extinguishes.

And then, I was able to watch the traditional dance called "Onneonde." In the past, it was danced by farmers after sowing seeds as a wish for a good harvest, meaning "Come out." But now, it's danced for those who recently passed away during the Obon season.

I hope these old traditions like this continue to exist. 🙏

After all, I've had a wonderful experience at my first Obon season in Goto.

＊Story of My Son's Incredibly Cool Taiko Drum Debut＊

So, I went to the Tomie Festival.

We moved to Gotō on June 12th, and since the beginning of July, my son has been participating in the Wokou Taiko drum group run by the Tomie Bara Mon Society.

He comes home from practice every week looking so excited, so I thought,

"Maybe I should join too."

When I said that, my son replied,

"Wait until the festival so you can see it at the Tomie Festival." So, I waited.

After a month and a half of practice, yesterday was his debut.

I secured a spot in the front row to watch. ...

So cool...

The vibrations of the drums resonated throughout my body, and seeing my son playing the drums, it brought back memories of the past two months and even reflections on life itself.

It's a five-minute video, so if you're interested, please check it out on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/SsLiApHKoDY

And to wrap it up, there were fireworks.

A summer tradition that my late mother loved. Underneath the fireworks, I could almost hear my mother's voice, excitedly exclaiming, "Beautiful, beautiful!"

It has been 23 years since I last saw Japanese fireworks, and it truly made me happy!

It was a day that touched my heart.

＊Story of My Son's Debut at the Tomie Festival＊

I started to live on the Gotō Islands with my 19-year-old son.

A half-Japanese born between a Japanese mother(me), and my Canadian husband.

With our three sons, our conversations follow a pattern: I speak Japanese, and they reply in English. When they give me a puzzled look, I switch to English and the conversation continues.

Born and raised in Canada, he grew up in the same house, and never moved before.

This time he's staying with me on the Gotō Islands for an extended period. In an unfamiliar country, dealing with unfamiliar language, weather, and battling with insects, he initially felt a bit out of place.

Yet, he never once uttered,

"I want to go back."

Instead, he said,

"I can't leave without trying something new."

I appreciate that he trusts and came along with me, and faced challenges together. I wonder if he realizes how much strength he gives to me. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU my son.

While he was still adjusting to life on Tomie Island, he came across a taiko drum performance as part of a triathlon event. Intrigued, he joined the Tomie Balamon Club and began learning Wokou Taiko (Japanese pirate drumming).

He has a musical background, specializing in the harp. Isn't he cool?!

Thus, his knack for rhythm made him adept at taiko drumming, and he quickly made his debut at the Tomie Festival through the club.

I haven't had the chance to witness it yet since he drives himself to the taiko club. Apparently, the vibrations of the drums resonating throughout his body bring him immense joy, and he returns home with sparkling eyes after each practice.

Tomorrow at the Tomie Festival, starting at 18:45 at Tomie Elementary School, he will make his debut with the Wokou Taiko (Tomie Balamon Club).

Everyone, please come and be his audience!

He's 19 years old and quite skilled in English (of course). We are talking it would be fun for him to have similar-aged friends who can teach him Japanese and he can share his English.

By the way, he works part-time at the bakery

"Wondertrunk travel-bakery"

near the Tao Bus Stop in Tomie Town until around 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Feel free to visit him and say hello and buy delicious bread!

Here's the schedule for the Tomie Festival, available on the Gotō City Tourism website: Tomie Festival Schedule.

＊Strength of an Old Folk House ＊

Now, it seems that the first typhoon since I arrived at the Gotō Islands is about to pass.

I still feel the lingering wind.

"Absolutely do not go outside,"

the senior islander’s suggestion, my son and I quietly stayed at home yesterday.

There were various first-time experiences.

Firstly, lizards started to appear all around the house.

I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I wonder if there's a behavior where lizards seek shelter indoors when a typhoon comes?

There seems to be a rule for dealing with insects,

The kind nurse we met advised,

"For centipedes,,, pour boiling water. But for spiders, coexist without killing them.”

You catch grasshoppers and walfroaches and release outside.

But I didn't hear the rules about lizards..

And for other senior islanders, they introduced an app called “Windy” to constantly check and close the storm shutters when the Gotō Islands are surrounded by a red color.

I faithfully follow this as well.

Regarding measures against natural disasters like this, it's important to faithfully listen to the voices of the locals. This applies even when I was racing windsurfing, understanding the character of various beaches through conversations with the local residents is crucial. The attitude of arrogance, saying,

"It's okay, I’m used to the ocean” is the biggest no-no. It's important to remember how small we are when humans face nature's grandeur,

And when the Gotō Islands enter the red zone, the wind does indeed become fierce.

However, this old house I live in, probably standing for 60 to 70 years, remains incredibly sturdy even in the face of strong gusts.

Not even a creak.

Surely, the wisdom of the old craftsmen from this island, which often faces typhoons, is packed within this house.

That's the feeling I had.

And as night falls, suddenly I notice,

The rain and wind have stopped, and an eerie quietness sets in.

The eye of the typhoon is passing over.

I remembered when I was a child, living in Nagasaki, during the passing of the eye of the storm, my mother used to say,

"I'll go buy things now quickly!" and leave.

Thinking the wind will surely pick up again once the eye of the typhoon has passed.

I lay down to sleep and in the middle of the night,

"Oh, it's coming again,,," and doze off.

The story of experiencing the first typhoon on Goto islands.

I hope everyone stayed safe and no harsh damage to the farming crops....

P.S. My friend who read this post told me it is not a lizard but gecko They are called "Yamori" in Japanese, means "protecting the house"

＊Living chaotically on Goto Islands, for almost two months now. ＊

 Finally, about to experience a typhoon.

Well, it's actually here already...

I have asked locals for Steps to take for typhoon:

・Close the storm shutters.

・Fill the bathtub with water.

・Absolutely stay indoors.

・Bring inside anything that might get blown away outside.

・Put away Laundry poles and bases, and put cement bricks on top

・Keep a flashlight ready for power outages.

・Prepare drinking water for potential water supply disruption.

・Have instant noodles on hand that can be made with just boiling water on a gas stove, as cooking might not be possible during power outages.

・Stock up on cup noodles and bread beforehand, prepare early as they tend to disappear from stores before the typhoon hits.

・Regularly check typhoon updates (using the Windy app).

・Cover small windows without shutters from the inside using ・masking tape, but avoid going near the windows.

・If gasoline is low, fill up the tank (there might be a need for living in a car if conditions worsen).

・Have a cooler and ice ready, so you can move items from the refrigerator if there's a power outage.

・Stay alive

Hummmm... It would be reassuring if daddy were here. A mom and son, both newcomers to Goto Island, staying still at home.

To distract myself, I baked two types of bread, and both turned out to be successful, providing a sense of accomplishment!

(sourdough bread and regular sandwich bread)

Again, I recognized the abundance of fermented foods in Japan is evident here as well. The hours-long homemade yeast fermentation that takes place in Canada happens in just a few hours here, thanks to the optimal conditions for yeast, which also explains the rapid growth of mold.

Living in the heart of nature means coexisting with both its gentleness and harshness.

I must hold humble feelings toward nature within my heart as a human being.

I sincerely pray that today and tomorrow, everyone remains safe and out of danger.

＊Story of the Reliable and Helpful Young Men＊

I'm in a panic mode.

This Honda kei van became our precious buddy since just 30 minutes after arriving on Goto Island. His name is “Hako-kun” (Hako=box). (My son is Mako-kun.)

However, on my way back from work, (it's quite refreshing to be working for someone after being self-employed for so long)

I was invited, "Hey, want to stop by for a drink?"

Being invited to "have a drink after work” also felt so new to me. (ended up having juice)

But, Hako-kun wouldn’t start upon leaving the bar.

"Oh no, what should I do? Daddy~ ."

I'm completely clueless about cars; when I'm in Canada, I leave it all to my husband if anything happens.

(When the kids were young, they used to call us "Mommy" and "Daddy," but as they grew up, the sons started to call their father "dad," and I'm the only one who still calls him "Daddy.")

Then, the young men who had been sitting next to me a moment ago and the bar master came out and gathered around Hako-kun, discussing and troubleshooting.

"It's probably the battery. " "Maybe we should push-start it. " "No, it might be faster to call my dad."

The Pub master reassured me,

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

I had no choice but to rely on these young men.

In the end, one of their father came to the rescue at 11 pm, and those guys all pushed the van together to push start.

The father said,

“Don’t let it stall until you get home. Well, if it stalls again, I'll come to help again."

...How kind

Living in a remote area, stalling in the middle of the road is not an option for me.

So, I made it home safely!

However, after parking in front of the house, I thought,

"I've driven for 25 minutes, and the battery should be charged."

But when I tried to start it just to be sure, the engine wouldn't turn over.

"Daddy~ !"

What should I do? I was filled with anxiety and went to bed.

"Oh, right. Maybe the car dealership where I bought Hako-kun can help."

I called the dealership first thing in the morning, and he efficiently guided me over the phone. Ultimately, he decided to come to my remote location took him 30 minutes .

In Canada, it's unlikely that a human will answer the phone so early in the morning. You navigate through a tape-recorded menu, "Press 2 for English, Press the appropriate number for your inquiry, Press the number to speak to a representative," and even after talking to a human, you're often redirected, "We'll connect you to the appropriate department," which can be a lengthy process. Reservations might even take three days.

However, during these two months on Goto Island, it seems the person who can help you actually answers the phone, making things progress at lightning speed.

I thought the issue could be resolved today if I contact them early, but it seems it wasn’t necessary to call so early (lol).

In the end, they decided to send a tow truck.

However, my location is a relatively remote area, even the local folks can’t seem to find our house.

Even though the narrow bumpy farm road is on Google Maps, why isn't the road leading to my house on Google Maps?!

The dealership was lost, and I couldn't provide good directions since I'm new to this neighborhood.

After a while, I went outside and found him there!

I apologized for the early morning and not being able to give him a direction, also the long drive in the heat, but his next words were,

"No problem. When we talked on the phone,

the sound of cicadas was really loud,

so I figured you must be near the mountains."

…Wow, so cool!

Not only he is handsome but also cool in what he said.

"I figured you'd be around here since the cicada sounds were close."

That explanation, I've never heard anything like it before, and it gave me a strong sense of nostalgia.

It's a feeling of Japanese beauty, a sense of the seasons, and a connection to nature that you wouldn't experience in Canada, or maybe even in the urban parts of Japan.

So, the story of those young men I met for the first time, who turned out to be my heroes, and the handsome car doctor who followed the sound of cicadas to my house, left me deeply moved.

I am managing somehow my eventful life on Goto Islands, thanks to the warm support of everyone,

To all those involved, truly, thank you very, very much.