Goldfish are a popular theme throughout summer in Japan. I've had fun collecting adorable goldfish fans, fabrics, and even foods like this beautiful summertime wagashi. It's a traditional Japanese sweet made with boiled, sweetened beans and gelatin (usually seaweed to roots based). There are several wagashi shops near my neighborhood and I so excited to find both a goldfish and a hydrangea themed one in early July.
Illuminated tanabata decorations at our local shrine, Akagi in Kagurazaka. It was beautiful to see the stars and paper crafts lit by lantern light.
Also at Akagi Shrine, a live performance of traditional Chinese style transfer puppets. There were live instrumentalists playing music and a live narrator. It was a Japanese ghost story for summertime, when they traditionally liked to be scared to 'cool off'.....It was a really cool experience to see it done live, and the fact that it was a ghost story was the best icing on the cake for me.
a cute train station out of Kyoto.
Cute pink stairs near kappabashi
we had a beautiful midsummer picnic in yoyogi park in June
love,
from Japan,
Kathryn
