Undo Kai

I didn't post any pictures from Undo Kai (sports day festival) which was about two weeks ago. So now that we've finally set up my computer, thanks to our bishop's cast off keyboard and mouse, I'm getting back into my blog. M had fun on her big day. It's the youchien's biggest activity. The kids have been practicing their dances since school started back up this fall.

I woke up early that Saturday and started my rice cooker and got my oil frying for homemade chicken katsu. I made a huge bento for our family, only to see that most of the parents bought bentos or had pretty simple ones. Liana Otsuji said that at her Youchien, the bentos are a big deal and the women start on them a week ahead of undo kai. Kind of crazy.

The program consisted of lots of dancing and group games for the kids. I hear the undo kais in grade school get pretty competitive, but our stayed tame. Except for one dad who knocked his kid over with a mat accidentally while trying to win one of the games. It was pretty hilarious.

Another of the games had the parents playing jun ken po (paper rock scissors). If you lost, you had to go behind the person who won. We were a growing caterpillar. But get this. I kept winning. I was trying to lose, because I had no idea when to start and I had to introduce myself. I finally lost...to the overall winner.

I'll try and get a video together of the festivities. If you're ever in Japan on the second Saturday of October, I'd strongly suggest finding an undo kai. Very entertaining.The Caterpillar family. I love G's hand on my shoulder.

G's Penguin Club danced to the "Penguin Samba." I wasn't sure if she would wear the costume at the actual festival, so I snapped this. She surprised me and did come dance with me.

M and Uta, one of her English speaking friends. Her other cohorts are Shakira and Takuma. Uta's dad is American. Shakira's mom works in an English immersion school, and Takuma is only 1/4 Japanese, but has lived in Japan his whole life.