Dec. 8-9

Illuminations


Not one of the busiest weekends, but there still was a fair amount going on. I just wasn't in a position to see most of it.



First up: illuminations. LED light displays are a big thing in Kagoshima. The people here like having a lot of light outside when it gets dark. For the most part, though, it's really not specific to anything (like Christmas). Instead, the point is just to have lights on stuff. And, the shops down by the Yamakataya department store are no exception. They staged a "Berg Plaza Illumination" event Saturday. I caught a bit of the preparations on my way in to the English school Saturday afternoon.



Actually, I had a 3 hour break between lessons this time, so during the break I did some shopping and returned home. I'd had 2 lessons scheduled for the evening, but the 7 PM lesson got cancelled the day before. I headed out of the apartment early for the 6 PM one, and at that point the lanterns were on full display.



I think they're created by school students. The thing is, they're generally hung in front of the shops along the walkways. I'm assuming that a Shinto priest performed a blessing ritual on them earlier in the day, and that they'll be put into place in front of the shops in a day or two. After that, they won't come down until maybe Feb. or March.



A school girl, and Sakurajima as an active, erupting volcano.



Various shrine scenes, and the Tokara bose mask from the Akusekijima travel promotion event a week ago.



A girl with a fish, and a more peaceful view of Sakurajima.

Giant Stomp


I first learned about the Giant Stomp puppets at the Amami Marugoto Fest about a week ago. Since then, I've seen them mentioned as appearing at several other events. Initially, though, I'd only seen the red one. When I took the above photos of the illuminations Saturday afternoon, I noticed the two puppeteers helping each other put on their rigs, at the back of the exhibit space.





Amu Christmas Market


Anyway, I get in to the school, and the owner tells me my 6 PM student had also cancelled at the last minute. Actually, he'd sent me a text message saying this at 5:15 PM, but I hadn't noticed it until after I was at the school. So, I turned around and walked the mile and a half to Amu Plaza, where their Christmas Market was under way.



On Friday, the big musical guest was a guy named John Lucas, who is apparently based in Japan, and who fronts the JL Gospel Family. I'd actually caught a bit of their rehearsal a few days earlier at Berg Plaza when I was on my way to the school. The singers looked to be all Japanese, and I'm not a big gospel fan, plus I didn't have much time before my lesson, so I didn't hang around to listen to them practice. Lucas performed Friday at the Market at 7:30 PM, when I was having dinner at home. On Saturday, when I did arrive at 6:20 PM after the lesson cancelled, all the live music was already done for the day. Instead, I bought a 3D wood puzzle at the Kinokuniya bookstore, and played with that in Seattle's Best Coffee for a bit before going home for dinner.



Nothing says "holidays" like overpriced shochu-based cocktails.



There was nothing in the way of live music on Sunday until 4 PM. And that turned out to be an a capella group from Kagoshima University. They were ok, but I was in the middle of shopping for the week, and only had a few minutes to take a couple photos before moving on. I had to go to a birthday party dinner at 6 PM, so I missed the Holsteins (a cow-themed J-pop trio) at 5 PM.



Amu Plaza has really scaled back on the free live music, not having a Halloween party this year, and hosting a fraction of the musical groups from the last couple years. For the Christmas Market, there's nothing during the week now, and most of the live music on the weekends ends early, except for the planned performances for the 23rd and 24th. I'd been told previously that the management at the Solaria hotel across from Amu had complained about the music in the evening, forcing Amu to end events by 8 PM. While this may have some relation to the 2018 Christmas Market, I'm thinking that the food and crafts sellers hate all the crowds that come in to listen to the songs but never buy anything. Sigh.

Anyway, the only group I have any interest in (other than the Irish-themed punk band, The Pints, who won't be here this year), Bon DX, will be playing the 23rd and 24th at Amu, and the 22nd at Tenmonkan. I have to work the 22nd (unless my evening lessons get cancelled again, hope, hope), so I'm crossing my fingers on being able to see them at Amu. We'll see.