Photography
Kids, Kayaks, and Growing Up in Japan
Life has many wonderful and rewarding experiences. One of them is to see your kids (and kids you’ve invested in) developing and growing. This past weekend we drove a couple of hours from Tokyo so our oldest daughter, Reia, could participate in a kayaking competition. Reia is in the second grade. We’d like to see her do her best and learn what she can do, and she’s discovering that she’s strong and capable. She’s also quite the competitor. We’ve tried to avoid stressing that part (as does her coach…supposedly), but she picks it up.
The kayak meet was held at Shojiko, one of the five lakes near the base of Mount Fuji. The lake itself wasn’t so beautiful, and it literally stank when you got close tot he water (for some reason quite a few dead fish had washed up on the banks). But in the morning you could see Mount Fuji light a vast shadow partially hidden in haze. I’d love to be there after a strong rain and see it clearly.
After the kayak meet was over, we returned home without Reia. She stayed for an extra two nights with the teachers and one other parent; they camped out at Lake Saiko nearby. On Monday they went kayaking around the lake. They swam and played. Three of the older kids had a rolling competition and apparently rolled about 55 times in succession each (with two of them crying toward the end). One night they went to an onsen (hot spring facility), and then they played Kick the Can until well after dark. What a blast!
After the race
We’re back from the kids’ kayaking Zenkokutakai (National Meet). Most of the kids come from a three or four hour radius around Tokyo — about 50 in all — so the title is an overstatement, but it’s a big deal for everyone who participates. I’ll put up a set of photos tomorrow. For now I wanted to post one of my favorite images from the weekend. This is one of the sixth grade girls in her last year (at this meet and in the club). She made it to the final in the 200 meter race, but she didn’t finish in the medals. Afterwards, she came to talk with the coach/teacher, and that’s when I took this shot. Like most of the kids she started attending the kindergarten run by the teacher and his wife, and then she entered the outdoors school. Next year she’ll move on to Junior High School and likely follow in her big sister’s footsteps as a softball player. We’ll miss her. She’s a really good kid. She always has a quick smile, though you can’t always tell whether it’s a smile of happiness or a social grace. She is good at the Japanese art of smiling gracefully even when she’s tired and down. When I first saw this shot, I thought I’d captured a more hidden side of her. You don’t know her, but I hope you’ll enjoy this glimpse.
Tokyo story teller reading manga with passion in the park
Next time I’ll have video (and audio). For now you’ll have to use your imagination.
On Sunday afternoons he sits next to a blue plastic sheet with assorted manga (comic novels) spread out. Pay your money, choose your favorite story, and he’ll read for you in a way you’ll never forget. If that’s not enough, he’ll give you a piece of candy as a take away. What a deal!
Seriously, he’ll give you a piece of candy afterwards.
Balloon man at Inokashira Park
I appreciate this guy as the pictures will show. He has a great act and kids like him. My kids watched his show and then wanted to stay for a repeat.
His basic shtick is making balloon figures. Enough said, but he’s really good. Anyway, kids love balloon figures; it doesn’t matter how many people are doing it all over the world or even in the same park. Besides, his figures are quite a bit more involved than poodles and perched parrots.
He’s also got a powerful set of lungs. He gave some of his regular balloons to four men in the crowd. I was one of them. I couldn’t blow mine up. I couldn’t even make a bump in it, and neither could any of the others. My chest actually hurt trying. Then he took our four balloons back, stuck all four in his nostrils, and blew them up all at once with his nose. Is that a trick? Are noses better? He got me with that.
Then to prove it wasn’t a trick, he finished by blowing up a rubber dish glove until it popped. Maybe there’s a trick to that, but looking at the photos it looks like his neck is about to explode. It doesn’t look easy at all. Ripping a phone book in half is easy (there’s a trick to THAT), but not this.
At the end of the show all the kids (and adults) played rock, paper, scissors for balloon figures. The first winner was a way over tanned cackling girl in her twenties who cheered like an eight year old. He gave her a balloon parrot on a perch (not sure when he made that) and she got really quiet. She was bummed; we were all relieved. After that all the winners were kids, except one mom who won Minnie Mouse (the grand prize) for her daughter. That was a nice moment — a great smile from the balloon man and a very happy little girl.