Long Lesson, Gagaku Music, and Matsuri Plans

This past Saturday I needed to be up early because I had a lesson at 10am. So far that’s the earliest lesson I’ve had. It also turned out to be a double lesson. My schedule only had be written down for 10-11:30am but I ended up staying for the second group lesson Sasamoto-sensei had that day.

The people in the first lesson were at about my level but the second group was much better. I still did pretty well I think. There were a few people in the second group that were going to the same gagaku performance that afternoon that I was so they kindly took me with them. We left at a little before 1pm and made it to the theatre at about 1:40pm. That was perfect though because it started at 2pm.

The ladies that came with me were very kind and actually bought me a program, it was 500 Yen. I felt so lucky. At the concert once Todd, Casey, and Michael had shown up I was talking to them and I ended up showing them the nice cover I got for my music book on Wednesday because I had to take it out of my bag.

The boss or owner, whatever he is, of Musashino where I have my private lessons and incidentally where I had the group lessons that day had come in to the back room Wednesday before my lesson. He gave me a sticker for my cell phone, the shos also apparently got something similar, but he also let me choose a cover for my music book. I was so thankful, normally it would cost about 2000 Yen.

Todd and Casey didn't seem to care so much when I was explaining that maybe it was because I gave him the chocolate. But Michael, being Michael, had to make a little comment that he had said from the beginning that maybe it wasn't a good idea for me to always be the one giving the chocolate. That made me mad! I mean 1) I ended up going there first before them so I had to bring it 2)Todd doesn't stay with us so that's a bit of a problem for him to have it, Casey, no offense to her, would probably do okay but she doesn't speak any Japanese and she's not terribly orgainzed, and Michael doesn't give a shit. On numerous occasions he's said he thinks the chocolate is cheap and not good and he never wants to give any so what right does he have to complain about it.

But anyway. So the performance was wonderful and actually the father of my sensei from Ono was the ondo, kinda like lead player, of the hichiriki in the second half of the program. After the concert I ended up going back to the center with Casey. Michael wandered around and Todd went God knows where. We stopped for some McDonald's before we got on the subway. The weather for the past few days had been wonderfully rain free and not very humid.

When we got back to the center I turned on the TV and watched the finale, I don't know if it was season or series, of the Japanese Columbo guy. I then tried on my yukata and after a little while went next door to show it to Casey because she wanted to see it and I wanted to try it on before the matsuri the next day. While I was puttering around I took it off I got a call on my room phone. I was a bit surprised because I had no idea who could be calling. It ended up being Terumi-san. I had invited her earlier in the week to come to the matsuri and she was calling to let me know that she would be coming.

Also, I had asked her priorly by email if she thought wearing my yukata would be appropriate. She explained that normally they were worn at night but then she asked what color. I said it was black with flowers and she told me that would actually be all right. She then asked if I had an obi, the belt, or geta, the wooden shoes, and I told her I had it all. She was very surprised I think and responded by saying that I should please wear it because she really wanted to see it.

I was thinking however how irritating it would be to wear on the train and subway and all the weird looks I would get. So I planned to bring it with me, wear the geta and bring my flats and a change of clothes. After getting that stuff ready a little bit I went to bed because I knew I would have to be up early.