Yukata Nights

"Yukata" refers to a kind of kimono made of light fabric generally worn outside at night (yu = evening). Some people like wearing them during the summer, so the shops in Tenmonkan encourage this with their "Yukata Night" event (this year on Aug. 3rd and 4th). The basic idea is that the shops offer discounts or coupons to shoppers in yukata. The event itself starts around 5 PM, with food and drink tables in the arcade in front of 7-11, and a live stage at the far end of the arcade. There's also rickshaw rides for 1000 yen ($10 USD).



They also had ice carvings both days.



I had to work on Saturday until 8 PM, but things were still going strong then. The booth directly to the right sold shochu for 100 yen per cup. I got two cups, two different styles. That was good. Then I went to an Italian restaurant for dinner. Also good.



There were several activities for kids, including rubbing a block of ice to free the toys and fans frozen inside.



Back during Rokugatsu-gou, I wrote about the soft drinks served in what looks like an inverted light bulb with flashing LEDs inside. This is one of the tables selling them. 500 yen for one, and people usually just throw the bulb away when they're done. Turns out the part that looks like the threaded metal end comes off to allow the server to pour syrups into them. I probably won't ever buy one, but I'm tempted to take a used bulb out of the trash some time to clean it up and get at the flasher circuit.



I did have a short break at 5 PM on Saturday, and I managed to catch a bit of a promotion for travel to a couple cities. The promo was billed as a contest between two sets of mascot girls. The ones on the right are dressed as stag beetles.



I don't know what the girls on the left are supposed to represent.





Sunday, 6 PM.  Sachi played J-pop and movie theme songs. The audience liked her, but all the songs are copyrighted and would get blocked by youtube and Facebook, so there's no point in my recording her (most of the other people there had no such compunctions, though).



More ice carvings.



I've already written largely about what went on Sunday. I bought a Corona from Wicky (he had a small beer table set up in front of his bar) for 700 yen, and read cryptography books until Yoko came on stage. Again, more pop and movie songs. The sun was going down and the stage didn't have it's own lighting, so it was getting a little too dark for the pocket camera. I had to take 20 shots for one to come out right. At 8 PM, the manzai comedy duo Party came out to host the Bingo game. All of the cards were already sold out by then (500 yen for one) so I didn't try playing this time. Prizes included a Playstation 4, a small HD TV, packages of fruit and 3-bottle packs of shochu. I wouldn't have minded getting some of the shochu, but I have no room for a PS4 or a TV. I went home to finish the ROKR robot kit, and eat dinner.

It's hot now.