Three Steps Over Japan: Jan. 2, 2020

I'd been outside of Kagoshima for a few days, and got back just before midnight on New Year's Eve, when I had to catch up on some stuff for work. Jan. 1st, I was exhausted, and slept until 2 PM. I did get out of the apartment in time to see a little daylight, and to explore Amu and Tenmonkan for about an hour before dinner. Largely, I was looking for posters announcing events coming up on the 2nd and 3rd. Eventually, I did find the above flier for a taiko and champagne event in the part of Tenmonkan about a block from Yamakataya.

I'd also been told about a hot chocolate sale at the Quon chocolate shop a few feet from the taiko intersection that was also to start at 10:30 AM. Quon specializes in hand-made flavored chocolate slices, including bitter orange bits, pistachios and lavender. 2 years ago, they'd started selling small cups of hot chocolate for 200 yen ($1.80 USD) during the winter, which were really good. The following year, though, they bumped the prices up to 400 yen for the same sized cup, and I stopped buying them because at that point it really was over-priced. For Jan. 2nd, they decided to say the cups were normally priced at 300 yen, but they'd offer the hot chocolate to the first 100 people for 100 yen. At that price, I couldn't say "no." It's very thick, slightly bitter, somewhat unsweetened chocolate, and as good as I remembered it being 2 years prior.

The taiko part just consisted of the one shopkeeper doing a simple beat on the drum while shouting out how great Kagoshima is. I recorded it, but it's not something really worth uploading to youtube. This was followed by a high school kid doing a comedic lion dance routine. He was very popular, and afterward a lot of the spectators asked him to "bite" their hands or "chomp" their heads for good luck. Parents wanted the same thing for their young children, which just probably traumatized them for life. I recorded the dance as well, but the kid didn't have any experience dealing with 360-degree stages, and spent the entire time performing with his back to me.

Afterward, they set up tables and handed out small glasses of Asti Spumanti. That was my favorite part of the event.

It looks like a madhouse, but it's just a small intersection and it doesn't take that many people to fill it up.

When I was done with my Asti, I walked over to the open plaza in front of Lotteria just on a hunch. Turned out the hunch was correct - the taiko group was setting up there to perform and dance as well. But, they wouldn't be ready for at least half an hour, so I walked over to Terukuni Shrine. There was nothing going on there I hadn't seen the day before, so I came back here. At that point, the drumming was done and they were handing out small glasses of amazake (sweet sake). I grabbed one, then aimed for the main arcade by Starbucks and 7-11.

The annual wall of tissue boxes was set up in the main arcade, and were being distributed by some of the Southern Cross idol girls, and the Party manzai duo. And, as happens every year, clumps of homeless people kept getting back in line to stuff multiple tissue boxes into their coats and shopping bags.

Party says "hi." Next to the tables, on my right, was another set of tables for a lottery give-away. According to the signs there, the idea was to scan a barcode with your smartphone to be entered into a spin-wheel game, with prizes of one HDTV, some small gold-painted rat statues, and 30 loaves of fresh-baked bread. I don't have a smartphone, so I didn't bother with that. In the background, you can barely see a line of people stretched to the right. They were waiting for the Enma table to open.

Enma are these small wooden plaques. You write a wish on the back and then hang them up at a nearby shrine. These were free, and were gone within a few minutes. I didn't feel like standing in line for an hour before the table opened, so I didn't get one. I did get an Enma last year, when there were three different designs for the Year of the Dog. The Year of the Rat had less selection. However, the next table over was handing out small glasses of red wine, and I got one of those. My total score this year was: One cup of hot chocolate, one box of tissue, and one small cup each of Asti, sweet sake and red wine.

When I left, workers were busy constructing the scaffolding platform for throwing out 5 yen coins, hard candies, and little packets of worthless discount coupons. Having been stuck in the middle of the madness last year, I had no interest in hanging around to watch it again this time. I left to return home at about 12:15, so I doubt the platform was ready by 1 PM. I expect the coins and stuff were thrown out by the shopkeepers, politicians and Party closer to 3 PM. But, again, I had no interest in watching 35-year-old housewives debasing themselves on their hands and knees just to rip $1 worth of packets away from each other.