It's Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Japanese neighborhoods are what I would describe as small towns in big cities. Osaka, for example, is divided into 20 smaller “cities” that each form their own separate communities. My host family lives in Neyagawa-shi, which is much larger than I would consider a neighborhood to be. I find it interesting, however, that a group of people that large can have as strong a sense of community as my small rural town back home.

Last weekend, my family brought me to a local community center “matsuri,” or cultural festival. It was a very small occasion, located in what looked like an elementary school gymnasium. Several tables were set up inside displaying origami works and paintings, as well as craft-making areas for children.

In many ways, it was similar to state fairs I’d been to back home. The food, for example, ranged from popcorn, cotton candy and hot dogs to Japanese chicken on a stick. It was a nice surprise to be able to enjoy some familiar fairground food.

The shrine across the street from the community center was also part of the festivities, which separated the experience for me as purely Japanese. At this particular matsuri, the monks at the shrine were drumming and chanting for a ceremony in which people park their cars outside the shrine to be cleansed of evil spirits and receive the protection of the kami.

Hopefully during my stay here in Japan I'll get to become more familiar with the neighborhood I live in, and come to understand the sense of community that people here seem to innately share.