THE FINAL LEG OF OUR JAPANESE ODYSSEY
01.02.2025
We were awakened by the faint sound of Taiko drumming around 8 a.m. When we looked outside, we couldn’t see the drummers but we saw people setting up food stalls along the pathway to Fukuyama Castle.
Nana told us that the “Fukumaki” event is held at the castle today, known for being Japan’s earliest bean-throwing ceremony. She mentioned there would be food stalls and live performances of traditional Japanese drumming. How exciting!
It is usually called “mamemaki,” which translates to “bean scattering.” The beans are believed to symbolically purify the home, driving out the evil of the previous year and protecting against disease and poor crops. Since the city is called Fukuyama, and “fuku” means “good fortune” or “blessing,” it makes perfect sense that the event is called “Fukumaki” here.
You might remember us writing about this last year. One of the fun parts of this festival is a tradition called mamemaki, literally ‘bean throwing’. In households across Japan, one parent puts on an oni mask to scare the kids. Kids throw beans at them to scare them away. I can remember Yoshi putting on the mask and an oni costume to scare Yuri. Yuri’s response was to throw the beans at Yoshi. Good fun was had by all.
After Fukuyama, we had planned to make a short stop at another foot bath, but our exhaustion hit its peak, so we decided to head straight to Osaka. The drive took 2.5 hours, but it felt much longer. Plus, rain started falling, which meant we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy walking around another onsen town anyway, so I guess it was meant to be.
It was a relief to finally see Nana at her workplace at Aeon mall. We had Udon for dinner. For Rob, it is not just Udon but Curry Udon with Kakiage. I know there is no need to explain what they are and why Rob was in heaven! We left the car with Nana, and took the train home, as Nana doesn’t finish until 8.00pm. Nana also needs the car as she has to pick Yuri up from university as she is going to stay at Nana’s place until we leave on Tuesday night. It is nice to be able to share more time with our niece.
We are back to where we started in Osaka, where we touched down on 08.12.2024. It’s not just planes that fly, our time in Japan has also flown so fast but we are both ready to come home to Australia. That doesn’t mean there won’t be tears but we are both feeling tired, especially Mami, who had to do all the driving these last two weeks.
Our last days here with Nana and Yuri will be a change of pace, with no deadlines and we have to do this or that because … etc. It is a nice way to wind down before we fly out on Tuesday night and it is always fun when we are with Nana.
Mami wrote the first part of this blog and I have finished the second half. It has allowed Mami to sit and chat with Nana and Yuri and just relax after a big day behind the wheel. She loves chatting with Nana and Yuri and it is nice to sit here typing wiith the laughter and chatting going on in the background,
Well I’m finished for tonight. I might just join in the conversation before hitting the hay. I am going to sleep in tomorrow morning and then sleep some more!! Good night all.
