June....Let the Dancing Begin!!!

Let the dance season BEGIN!

It's June! On Maui it can mean only one thing....No not summer vacation for students (that's May!). It's Obon season. What is obon exactly? I'm pretty sure I've stated it before but I wouldn't want you to search in the early posts for it. Obon is a time in the Japanese culture when the spirits of the deceased are welcomed back...like a homecoming or family reunion.

The schedule for this month is a little different. Just like last year there's a week break! I wonder why they would schedule things this way. Why not start a week later than to have the first dance and the next week have a break?

The first day of June we had to trek to the west side of the island to the 法光寺 (Houkouji, a.k.a. Lahaina Shingon Mission). I guess we miscalculated on when we should head on over to that side. When we arrived....there was NO parking. What the....?!?! Do that many people come to obon nowadays? Is it the "in" thing to do?

I'm not complaining. I'm just shocked how much of a buzz it is generating. The tourists passing by all come by to see what's going on. I wonder what they think it is as they pass by. I have seen some actually ask. But most times you just watch as they take pictures and videos of the dance. Sometimes I wish someone would tell the tourists that it's a satanic ritual or something to that extent.

The first dance is always hectic. You don't know if you remember the dances. But once the music starts you just dance (like riding a bike).

Usually I try to take pictures prior to the bon dance, but we got there a little too late and was busy talking to people I haven't seen in a while. That's another thing the obon season brings. Friends getting together as well! So pictures took a back seat. I only have the one that I posted at the beginning of the blog.

After a week break, it's back to dancing. This time at the Wailuku Shingon Mission. Again we miscalculate leaving the house....actually I forgot something at home and we had to turn back to get it. So I guess you can say it's my fault! Yet again there's no parking. We have to park on the street, but not too far from the parking lot where we normally park.


The reason for me going to this dance...other than being in the club is...steamed manju! No other church sells it. My parents love it....maybe because it's only once a year they get to enjoy it. If you had access it all the time then things would be different.

This year I had to send Scott to buy it since I still had to get ready. I didn't even think I would have to help people dress. It didn't help that the church service started early. I missed the first 2 songs and rushed into the ring for the 3rd song. I was amazed that I dressed 2 people that fast!

This year, I decided to wear my Hello Kitty glasses I recently purchased since it matched my yukata that night. So I convinced a friend of mine to wear his as well. Maybe we can start a trend. We'll see!

For some odd reason, that day I had a tendency to trip and almost fall. In the morning I almost fell during class. At the very end of the dance, I almost fell because I stepped into the hole in the road. Plus I also bachi-ed myself by mentioning that I'm probably going to fall during the dance.

Now with the bon dance in full swing it's time for what used to be the first dance of the season, Puunene Nichiren. Tonight is an interesting night. The super moon will be in full force tonight! Like last year, it was windy. I guess it's tradition for this area to be windy. I'd rather it be windy than no wind at all or rain!

At least we got a good parking space today. Well there is more parking at this church than the previous churches. That and we got there around 6:30 which is quite early when church service is at 7 and the dance starts at 8.

Again not much pictures taken....maybe I'll get motivated to take a little more in coming dances.

3 dances done....1 more to go this month! Gosh time is flying by WAY too fast!

もう、一ヶ月....well actually less....

It's already OCTOBER?!?! Whaaa?!?!

That means one thing....お浚いかい (recital)! Recital is in one month...actually 3 weeks! This year our recital will be held on November 5, 2011 at the Okinawan Culture Center (沖縄会館) at 2:30 PM.

So much going into this recital...and it's only my second one. I think this year there are 5 dances for me, #1 and Nadine (大変). But what can you do...if your 先生 (teacher) tells you that you have to dance 5 numbers, you dance those 5 numbers. The thing I wasn't ready for was that there will be 5 kimono changes (well 4 technically, since I will arrive dressed for the first number). Last year was a little easier with 4 numbers. An extra performance does make a difference.

先生 mentioned that our Monday class will perform the opening number 民謡日本 earlier in the year. There's one kimono that I have wear. Later on in the first half, our class minus 名取さん will perform (another kimono change). みんぶ will open the second half (first year I have to wear my own kimono with 太鼓帯). In the middle, our whole Monday class will perform another number with our class uniform. Then 3rd to the last we have another class dance with 襦袢 and 傘. I know I can change fast, but I dunno if I can change THAT fast especially with the amount of things we have to wear each performance number.

I guess I should be glad that we have a rehearsal on October 22nd. The only thing is....it's Maui High School's homecoming. That means, #1 has to leave rehearsal early to take her daughter since she is going to perform at the game. I guess we have to do our numbers first. It's hard to dance in front of the rest of the Minyo Kai. I guess more pressure with them than others. It's only my 2nd year and I am in みんぶ and performing in so many numbers. But there are others that are dancing just as much as me.

Couple more weeks and I get to watch the other classes perform their numbers. I can't wait!

July 2, 2011 ラハイナ浄土

I cannot believe that half the year has gone by!  嘘、マジで!  Time seems to have flown by.  Doesn't seem like I have done much in 6 months, but in actuality, I have when I think about it.  I have taken an accounting course at UH West Oahu while going to work full time and doing an internship with a CPA.  I also had dance practices and marathon training.  Plus I went to Japan in February!

Tonight is Lahaina Jodo's obon!  This is our Sensei's church.  The Nakayama Minyo Kai all tries to make it to this dance.  The only problem about getting to this church is the parking....there isn't any!  We all have to head out there early and with as little amount of cars as possible.  I thought that leaving around 5:00 PM would be good.  That would mean arriving in Lahaina at 6:00 PM.  I was soooooo wrong!

I guess it really is the "in" thing to go to obon.  I remember when it used to be less crowded at any obon.  That was 15 years ago when I was still in grade school!  Lahaina Jodo is one of the most busiest obons on the island.  It's a big tourist attraction.  There's a giant Buddha statue, pagoda and a lantern ceremony.

At least we are early enough for me to get my usual かき氷!  Plus I can go around the church grounds and take pictures.

Yagura

Pagoda

Taiko

Buddha Statue

It's finally getting dark and the lantern ceremony is about to start.  So it's time to take the usual picture.  This time we are wearing lighter colors and it wasn't planned!  Great minds think alike!  I would go to the lantern ceremony but it's too crowded and plus we will miss the beginning of the dance.

I completely forgot about Maui Taiko's performance before the obon dance.  I guess we still have some time to relax before the mayhem ensues.  Got to take some last minute shots (pictures) because of this.

Every year, the dance area is crowded.  Earl invites me, Stacie and Nadine into the center ring, but we say "no thanks."  But after dancing the first dance....me and Stacie change our mind.  During the first dance, 炭鉱武士 (Tankou Bushi=Coalminer's Dance) we didn't move anywhere...That's how many people were in the dance area.

I don't really like being in the middle....especially during a Lahaina obon dance.  Sherman always throws curveballs at us when it comes to song selection.  There is no set list when it comes to him.  Plus we always know it will be an old song that we won't remember....only my cousin.

Among the chaos of the dance, time seemed to fly by quickly.  Sherman didn't play too many archaic dances. But he did announce the wrong dance.  We didn't know that 花火音頭 (Hanabi Ondo) sounded exactly like ありがとう音頭 (Arigato Ondo).  In the middle of 花火音頭, he announces "Oops, that wasn't 花火音頭, it was ありがとう音頭, sorry."

Our Sensei dancing with her son during "Beautiful Sunday"

How quickly everyone leaves the obon dance.  At least I get to talk to people I rarely see.  Plus I have a chance to take more pictures WITHOUT a group of people in them.












Enough talking...time to eat!  I am soooo hungry.  At least I know at this church I have food to eat!  Nishime, chicken, sashimi, salad, dessert!

The only bad thing about being in Lahaina....no after party for us.  Well we did go to Zippy's to hang out and saw other people from the obon dance having more desserts.  I guess you can call that an after party.

来週、パイア満徳寺 (Paia Mantokuji)....Time to visit the relatives!

June 24 and 25, 2011 カフルイ浄土

Night #1, Friday

It’s already the fourth week of the obon season.  Time flies by so fast nowadays.  This year Kahului Jodo decided to have two nights of bon dance.  Usually they are the last bon dance and only have one night (Saturday).

So once again, I have to rush to my parent’s house for a 変身.  Today my dad asked if I could pick up a pizza for them….I told him that I couldn’t but next week I can for sure.  I had a feeling that he was going to ask.  My parents work like clockwork.  The last Friday of the month, they always get the craving for pizza from Costco.  I don’t mind picking it up since I get a free pizza out of it!

あー Back at Kahului Jodo.  Have some bad memories of last year.  We learn from our mistakes.  Tonight no repeat of last year.  We have practice tomorrow; plus there is the Okinawan Festival!

Since we're here early to get a parking space, we can take our usual picture.  I just realized that we actually line up by height.  At 5'3" I am considered tall in 中山民謡会.  Our 先生 didn't realize until recently how tall I was.  I guess when you are able to sit down during the dance she automatically puts you up in front.

I scrambled to get the camera out

So early, and nothing to do.  I'll take pictures since I won't have time during the dance to take any.

People are starting to fill up.  I guess it's time to get onto the grounds.  My cousin, as usual, tries to not be seen.  But if Nadine is spotted, Mitchell is assumed to be around.  Yes, being in the middle can be stressful.  I now have come to experience that stress this year.  But sometimes it's better to be in the middle because of the amount of people that have been going to obon and participating in dancing.  You have more room to dance and that's one of the main reasons for going (for us, anyways).

As usual, there are a lot of people that don't know how to follow the correct line.  I end up getting closer and closer to the center where we almost merge into one line.  I guess we should really consider posting rules up on the 櫓 (yagura).

The 2 hours fly by again.  Time to eat at the church tonight.  Hmm.  What is there for me to eat.....nothing really.  I get to eat 煮しめ and rice.  That wasn't enough, so I got some かき氷 (shaved ice).  I am lucky that they are still selling!  What a way to diet...dance for 2 hours and only eat 煮しめ and かき氷 for dinner.

No late night for us!  We all have plans for tomorrow morning!

Night #2, Saturday

Such a lazy day....I was supposed to go to the Okinawan Festival, but felt tired.  I guess I am not used to being on the go so much.  Too much dance....NEVER!  I think it's just dance + running + working = exhaustion!

It's night #2 for Kahului Jodo.  It's been a long time since they had 2 nights of obon.  Plus they usually are the last obon dance of the season.

Tonight we arrive early again for other reasons....but no repeat of last year.  I will pace myself better.  Mitchell's cooler is stocked and ready!

This picture is funny because Nadine NEVER drinks alcohol.  She's just holding it for Mitchell, but it's the most incriminating photo of her.  We can say that it's a lie when she says she doesn't drink.  It's all in fun!

We head towards Kahului Jodo, but don't go onto the grounds yet.  It's just to pass time and not get spotted by people.  So it's time to take more pictures and warm up to the fact that we are all going to be in the center ring.

Time for some dancing.  I guess I should be glad to be in the middle since I have more room to dance.  But there are times when people just go into the center line to follow us.  You don't have to be right beside us to learn the dance.  And there are times when random kids will come into the center line...which is fine since our Sensei allows it.  BUT, some times it can be a distraction if they start talking to you during the dance.

Tonight was that kind of night.  A girl came into the center and danced next to me.  I am pretty sure her family are members of the Kahului Jodo, so it didn't matter to me.  All of a sudden she started talking to me and I'm not going to be mean and ignore her.  So I talked with her as we danced.  I was fine until I realized that I was doing the wrong part of the dance and my section was following me.  I guess I should be glad that our Sensei wasn't there.

Kids can be unreal sometimes.  Towards the end of the dance, the girl's grandmother came to check up on her since the grandmother was busy in the kitchen.  The girl tells the grandmother "Can you go away....I am busy with my friends."  Me and Stacie look at each other shocked.  Did that really just happen?

The dance is done and I have nothing to eat again.  Alcohol and an empty stomach isn't a good thing.  So time to find some fast food and head over for some karaoke.  For some reason I was really tired and wasn't much in the mood for karaoke that much (blasphemy!).  We still stayed out late just I didn't participate as much in the after party.

来週、ラハイナ浄土 (Next week, Lahaina Jodo).....

お盆シーズン始まる!

マウイお盆シーズンを始まる！速いだね～！もうお盆シーズン。今年、お盆踊りのブログを試しにやってみる。あー残念！

For those who cannot read Japanese....Maui's Obon Season has started!  This year I will blog the Obon Season.

I am already 3 weeks behind.  Such a hectic schedule!

毎週末、中山民謡会は　お盆踊り　リードして助けています。Such hard work.  I don’t know how our Sensei or even my cousin remembers all the dances.  What a hectic day I had to get to this church.  I had a workshop in the morning that ended early (thank God!).  Because of the workshop, I had to preplan my outfit and have it ready so I could do a quick　変身.   Then I had to get downtown to catch a ride to Lahaina because of the limited parking around the area.

June 4, 2011 - ラハイナ真言(Lahaina Shingon)

ファストお盆はラハイナ真言。久しぶり！It's the first bon dance of the season.  This year the first dance is Lahaina Shingon again.  It's been such a long time since I went to this church.  Last year, I planned to go, but classwork got in the way (T-T).

I cannot remember the last time I went to this church’s dance.  The dance area is just as small as I remembered it.

Each year, it seems more and more people are coming to Obon.  Is it the “in” thing to do?  I know it is a big social gathering for the Japanese.  Lately there has been more of a variety of people.

During the dance I noticed flashes every so often.  At first I thought it was just people in the crowd taking pictures.  It was actually lightning in the sky that was catching my eye.  The only thing I think is “Oh no, it better not rain.”  It had to be the day I decide to wear a light colored 浴衣.

2 hours seem to fly by.  Before I know it, the dance is over.  Time to change and have our after party!  This year, a group of my 民謡会 friends plan to hang out after the dances.  For the kickoff of Obon, we decided to go down the street to Kobe Steakhouse.

By the time we get there, the restaurant side is closed but the sushi bar is still open.  We have 15 people to seat…I hope they have room for us.  Luckily they did!  The only problem was that one person was underage and couldn’t go into the bar area.  So the group was split up.  I felt really bad so I would go between the two groups.

What we do best outside of bon dance! 

The weirdest thing happened when we went that night.  As I tried to order more sushi, the waitress says “I’m sorry but we ran out of rice…but you can still order sashimi.”  That blew my mind.  How can you be a sushi bar and run out of rice?  It’s like going to KFC and them telling you that they ran out of chicken….which on occasion has happened to some of my friends.

After some sushi, lots of drinks and lots of laughs, it was time for all of us to head back home.  Well that was the plan.  I think a few of us drank a little too much and need to do some sobering up.  Where do we end up….well they only place that is affordable and open is Zippy’s!  So we have bonus time to spend with everyone.

Next week プーネネ日蓮

June 7 and 9, 2011 - マカワオ本願寺お盆踊り稽古. 

I cannot believe Makawao Hongwanji is having 4 bon dance practices this year.  This week there are two 1 hour practices.  I got talked into helping with the practice.  You cannot say no to your 先輩, especially when you are planning on becoming 名取like them.  So I had to work around my running schedule…meaning I had to cut my running short on those two days.  Part of me is worried that no one is going to show up and I sacrificed my running time and Nadine time for nothing. 

In the end, enough people came to the practice to make me content.  What I didn’t expect was that I was going to help lead the dances.  It’s only the beginning of the season and I haven’t really gone to the other practices off season.

June 11, 2011 - プーネネ日蓮

Another hectic day for bon dance!  Today there was 民部稽古 from 12:30 to 14:00.  Actually we started early so we could finish early.  Our Sensei had to drive back home to take care of her husband and then get ready and drive all the way back into town for the bon dance.  大変！As for me, there are some errands to be done since I am already in town.  15:30 comes around and I’m STILL downtown.  I guess I should have planned a little better.  Gotta head home to do another quick 変身!  Will I have a day where I don’t have to change so quickly?

 

This time Akiko is dressing in 浴衣.  She brought it home from Japan.  Her kids are dressing as well!  Now we just have to get Jayson into the act.  His dad dresses….I guess we just have to get him a 浴衣 so he has no excuses.

It’s so windy today….my poor hair.  I made it all curly and it’s gone flat.  しょうがない。

Time to get the infamous shot.  For some reason, we didn’t have a chance to take that picture last week.  これから、写真を取る！

I think this year we should make it a point to teach people dancing to follow the correct lines.  Every year, the circles are all ぐじゃぐじゃ.   I think we may be in the middle for some dances so there is no one to keep the second line…..

2 hours fly by again.  Time for our after party!  It takes us a while to figure out what we want to do.  In the end, pick up food and drink and go karaoke!

来週はワイルク浄土とワイルク真言!

June 14 and 16, 2011 - またマカワオ本願寺稽古….

This week is a full week of dance!  Monday I had 民謡稽古 from 18:30 to 20:30.  Tuesday and Thursday I am going to the bon dance practices up at Makawao.  Then I there are 2 bon dances this week.  When I add it all up, I danced for 15 hours this week.  I don’t know how Sensei can dance that much on a regular basis.

June 17, 2011 ワイルク浄土  

先生 w/some of the 中山民謡会 ladies

Jane typing up Nelson

It’s Friday!  I have to rush to my parent’s house so I can change for the bon dance.  Yet another day to rush and get ready.  There really isn’t any parking at this church.  We have to park on the street.

This is where we practice 日本舞踊.  Almost the entire 中山民謡会 is here.  It’s a small dance area as well.  I hope we can all fit!

This time we’ve added more to the group shot.  Maybe we should do this more often!

For some reason, this bon dance seems more crowded than the rest.  I guess it’s because no one is following the correct line…again!  I think we should invest in some wooden dowels and rope and make the actual lanes that people should dance in….but that wouldn’t work here since it’s all asphalt.

This time we stick to the plan about eating at the church to save money….but then we do a change of plans after eating and go to Tiffany’s for some refreshment.  Since there is only 2 or so hours left until last call, it’s time to start with the hard stuff, no fooling around!

It shows how often you go to a drinking establishment when they already know what kind of drink you are going to order.  Come to think of it…we have gone quite often.  I would say almost every weekend we have ended up at Tiffany’s for some reason.

I think drinking margaritas and martinis isn’t a good idea on so little amount of food.  But I guess it was okay with all the water I drank the whole day….Others need some karaoke I think.

Once again, we are at karaoke!  The owner comments “Soon, you guys are going to be VIP status.”  I think we’ve gone 3 times in a month.  It’s so late….I think I got home around 5:00 AM.  I guess I should be glad that there isn’t 民部稽古tomorrow.

明日I mean 今日ワイルク真言…I hope we’ll be up for it.

June 18, 2011 - ワイルク真言  

The reason for going to Wailuku Shingon Obon

What time is it?  OMG it’s 10:00 AM!!!  Too much after party.  I am supposed to train for my marathon but I’m too tired and dehydrated to run.  Plus it’s 10:00 AM, I usually run earlier in the morning during the weekend.

Today, I get relax and recover.  Plus it’s the first bon dance, where I don’t have to do a quick 変身!

It seems like everyone was recovering from last night….We didn’t get a chance to take our usual picture. 

Tonight we get a workout!  This church has a lovely incline and majority of the dances goes up that incline.

Also tonight, no Maui Taiko.  At first I was curious when I overheard Allan guys debating about Fukushima Ondo.  It didn’t occur to me until tonight what the whole debate was about.  I would have been fine without the song, but it’s a favorite with the rest of the crowd.  So during the whole dance I was wondering if they really were going to play Fukushima Ondo.  Almost at the end of the dance, they decide to play it.

No eating at the church tonight….they ran out of bento for the dancers….errr.   It makes me a little frustrated when people go to the dance and stay to the very end to get the complimentary dinner even though they didn’t dance or do anything to help.  Because the people who do dance, don’t get a chance to eat…oh well.  A small after party tonight…which included karaoke.

来週。。。カフルイ浄土