Last night was the final night for the Numata Matsuri. Seeing so many people I know and talking to them makes me feel good. Cheerful greetings from students who are excited to see me. It’s always a great time. The funny thing is that since I really only know these kids in the context of school and them wearing their school uniforms, the girls especially can be difficult to recognize because they dress up so beautifully with their hair done differently, wearing makeup, and wearing summer yukata robes. This year, my daughter Ulan and I discovered cheese balls. Oh man, those were so good with ketchup and Korean-style honey mustard. I think I’d like to visit the Takasaki Matsuri at the end of this month.
