Ginza Festival, Dancing and Singing Songs

August 15, it is O-bon festival day in Japan. How did you spend Obon festival?
In Chicago the annual “Ginza Holiday” festival was held at the Chicago Midwest Buddhist Temple. This festival became so famous that the News Program of Channel 9 introduced as Japanese cultural festival. This festival day has always been a nice weather but a hot day.

Hiroko regrets that she didn’t take the front view picture of the temple.

At first Hiroko and her friend went to the ticket counter to buy the tickets for the teriyaki chicken which is the best tasting chicken in Chicago that has been said.

Ticket booth and Beer booth next each ti other
It is better to get the chicken before leaving this place. Udon bowls, sushi dish and shaved ice (kintoki) were bought for lunch. After lunch, the air conditioned hall at where the exhibitions (vendors) were held in the basement of the temple was nice place to visit.

Sumie booth (brush painting)

Hand-made small articles --- Japanese craft books booths

About 10 Ikebana were lined up in front of the head wall. Silk flowers booth

Another hand-made articles --- hand-made frames booths

Paper dolls --- Articles made with Japanese dolls booth

Bonsai booth
All these articles except those flower arrangements were selling. They were quit expensive, because most materials came from Japan and all the articles were made by hand.

Another exhibition booths and the stage were setting out-side. On the stage Taiko performances had just finished. Regrettable for missing the Taiko performances!

The next performances were Judo and Kendo.

In this hot weather many audiences were eagerly watching.

Here are out-side exhibition booths. Please guess what kind of booths they were.






Japanese swords booth
All those articles were selling.

There was a cute boy wearing the Jinbei (Japanese craftsman’s work cloth).

Taking the picture of the boy, he noticed that and posed for Hiroko. Those cards he pointed were made by his friend’s father.
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Well, it is the time for the performance by Ukulele and Hula dance group bringing Hawaii atmosphere in Chicago. One of Hula dancer invited Hiroko and friend.

Hawaiian song was sung, and Hula dance was performed.

Hiroko’s landlord’s wife had both knee operation, but she danced very well saying “Ouch, ouch” of her knee.

Hawaiian songs were sung very well by pre-teen girls taught by their Hawaiian father every day. The MC asked them their age and about their practice.

The Last Hula dance medleys including "Aloha Oe" were performed very well.
They have been getting better year by year.

Finishing to watch the Hula Dance, now the Teriyaki chickens would be picked up.

Cooking the chicken, --- many people were enjoying their foods.
Well, let’s go home and enjoy the Teriyaki Chicken dinner.
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It has been said in the Christian community that the dancing and some kinds of songs were not appropriate to do or watch. However,
1. in the Bible King David danced wearing the Ebote (kind of the vest). King David was overjoyed to see the ark brought into the Jerusalem.
II Samuel 6:14-16
14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.
2. Israelites were freed from the bondage of the slave in the Egypt, and escaped from the danger. However, now, at the back of them there were powerful Egyptian Army and in front of them was the sea. The Lord God opened the sea and let Israelites walk on the dry land, and closed the sea over the Egyptian Army when they stepped in the dry land. All the soldiers died. Moses elder sister Miriam and other women were dancing with tambourine when they saw this scary miracle.
Exodus 15:19-20
19 When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.

Ohina-sama - Curry Recipe

On March 3rd, the Ohina-sama were taken out from the box and displayed.

Last year the Ohina-sama were taken out after boxed for 25 years. The Ohina-sama seemed to be crying at the time, but they were taken out again for the presentation to the children on the Children’s Day, May 5th, at one of the Chicago elementary schools.



On that day Keiko asked me for my curry recipe. Curry recipe was posted on my Japanese blog http://ishimaru92.blog105.fc2.com last year. Here is translation of the recipe.
It is good to first make a pot roast first and use the leftovers of the roast for the curry. (It is very good for busy people when you can prepare for two different dinners with one dish.)
1. Pot Roast
Buy inexpensive pot roast double amount enough for curry (4 or 5 lb. for 4 people)
Take out fat from the pot roast (expensive roast has no fat)
Brown the pot roast
Cook pot roast with small heat (slow cooker or 250° oven can be used) about 5-6 hours
Seasoning for meat:
1 cup wine
1 tsp black pepper, garlic (or 4 cloves)
½ tsp each chicken and beef stock powder, red pepper
1 pinch rosemary
1 can diced tomato
Cook the following chopped bite-size vegetable in the cooked pot roast last half hour or until vegetables are soft
2 carrots
4 stalk celery
1 pepper
1 zucchini
1 onion
2. Curry
Use left over pot roast meat
Cook the following chopped bite-size vegetable first with seasoning and water
1 carrot
2 stalk celery
1 potato
Seasoning:
1 cup wine
1 tsp black pepper, garlic (or 4 cloves)
½ tsp each chicken and beef stock powder, red pepper
3 Tbsp curry powder
Put the pot roast meat in the above softened vegetable
(chicken can be used for additional meat)
Make sure there is enough juice. If not add 1 or 2 cup water
Dissolve 2 Tbsp corn starch into 1 cup water
Mix the cornstarch water into the curry
3. Is there left over curry? If so, make Curry Soba (buck wheat noodle)
Pour diluted curry over cooked soba

Are we going to eat and drink in the Heaven?
Please read the following Bible verses. Yes, I believe we'll be feasting at banquets with Jesus. Rev. Oyama used to say that in heaven everything will be a hundred times better than on earth. Well, then, that means foods will be hundred times more delicious than what we are eating now.
Luke 13:29, 30 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.
Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine --- the best of meats and the finest of wines.
Matthew 22:2-3 The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.