Morinosato Obon Matsuri - 2

The night, I came back during the Bonodori. Many people in ykata dancing around the stage. Some of the little girls had a fan in their obi with a number on it. This was for the dancing contest, the best ones could get some little presents. All of the applicants got a little something for the fun.
Then we had a lottery. I guess each member of the jichikai get a ticket and can then participate. I was talking to some friends so I did not clearly listen what kind of presents you could get. People who were not there to pick up the present would miss it. They were calling new numbers right away. They force people to come to the event in a way. More people there are, more fun it is.
Then the moment that everybody waited for : the hanabi. Sorry no picture because I prefered to enjoy it with my own eyes. This is not an event like the Ayu festival but as a district festival, this is one of the most amazing in Atsugi (refering to comments I heard), maybe the best.
The hanabi put an end to the festival. People slowly when back home with the sound of the taiko band.

 

Morinosato Obon Matsuri

This week end was the Morinosato Obon Matsuri. I heard so many times that Morinosato is preparing every year a big event compare to the other districts. This is a place with money and/or with a strong community center. It is not a personal opinion, just a resume of all the little comments I got when I say I am living in Morinosato. The city is helping in a way but the main strenght comes from the community center and people involved into. Basicaly it means everbody as an annual fee is requested to be paid.
Whatever the comments, the event is pretty amazing. Many people from outside are coming to enjoy the masturi. Everything is well organised, cheap and good food and just cool atmosphere. Last year I was in Kyushu, so this is a pretty good surprise.

First part, the day time event. People and children are walking around the disctrict carrying some mikoshi. They end on the wakamiya ground where many tents from each chome provides you food and drinks, some games, some resting places...
Then we can enjoy some music events from elementary and junior high students. A bit too short.
Then I went back home to eat something before the night main events.

Little walk through Morinosato

Nihao restaurant

Lately, we have a must-go restaurant. Everytime we go around Hadano to play and do some shopping around Jusco, Cainz... we stop by the Nihao Teishoku (Hello in Chinese - Restaurant) So this is chinese food and a good one. Cheap, they also have free refill of rice with their sets. This change from the KFC, Mc Donalds or other family restaurant when you do not want to make food.

Looks like you also can do parties, even New Year. This is all year round open.

click on the picture, it is geolocated.

Hadano Sports park

This park is similar to the Ogino Sports Comple, in smaller. You can find a baseball and an athletic stadium, tennis courts and a poolside. This is not swimming pool but many little pools for kids to play. (adults 400¥, half price for Hadano residents). We did not know about that place so we did not have our swim suits. You could see a slide, a lot of safety staff, parents with sun-tents...

We were driving to the Hadanotogawa park when we saw a big playground so we stopped by. There is also a little dirt ground to play balls with a baskeball half court. Certainly less crowded than the Bousai park.

Free parking

This clock plays music every hours

Ogino Pool

During the summer break (obon yasumi) the weather was terribly hot. It is still hot somehow. I went further times to the municipal swimming pool at Ogino Sports Park. (Ogino undo koen). This is cheap 400¥ for an adult and a discount for a kid. Mines are even youngers so it is free for them, I think until elementary school.
There is a ticket machine which provide you a magnetic card to enter. You validate in and out. It helps counting the folks inside the pool. You will have the number on the top of the information counter. The day I found out about this information board, there were 75 peoples. The outside 50m pool is open only during the summer break. It was a heavy rainy day so most of the swimmers were in the inside 25m pool and I would say this is good enough. More would be too crowded for me
You can get a prepaid card. You pay 3000¥ and you get a 500¥ present. (2000¥+300¥ also available) This is the same money for residents and non-residents of Astugi-town.
Take the small plastic back to put your shoes in. The locker place has closing lockers. 10¥ needed that you can get back.
Babies need to be clean. No dipper, no swimming dipper. The outside pool is allowed for kids from elementary. Inside, you have a 30cm deep pool.
You can have any kind of swim suit. You must have a swim cap.

Something I never experienced in France, the safety break. Every one hour (...h20) you will be asked to leave the pool so the staff can check if nobody's diving... They check the temperature, acidity, dive and clean up the big stuffs (bandages, broken goggles, lost keys...)

The water is far to be perfectly clean but it is same level that what I could find in France. I did not mind, my wife did a little bit.

You also have individuals showers and a sauna.

39 males inside

If you forget your cap or goggles, they do not borrow. You can buy an Mizuno official product @ official prices. (~1000¥ the cap that you can get for 200¥ in any Department store)

Open from 9h30 to 20h20

Parking lot behind Saty

Open from 8am to 12am

300¥ the first hour

150¥ each following 30min

 You may get some free parking tickets after a purchase in Saty departement store. Sorry, I do not know the fees, I went there to have a baby health check in a city building near by. (click on the pic, it is geolocated)

Yamakita town - Suite

After our trip to the Shasui Falls, we asked around some place to visite or drive through. That was not particulary helpful and just driving without any goal was just enough. Then we found some area map and decided a target. An archeological site surrounded by a park. We stopped at the end of the road and continue by walk. Surpisingly, some Sunday hickers were already around. The site and park are impressive by their emptyness. This is damn quiet! which is good. We finished some snacks and continue our trip.

on the way to the castle ruines (map)

Do you see a teddy bear?

Tomei Highway

The place is full of "mikan" trees.