Tim's Birthday weekend & Kobe Festival

Sunday was Kobe Festival, a 40 year old festival that celebrates the city with food, music, and a parade. Farron, Kazuki and I went to check it out, and then walked around Jazz Walk for a bit.

And now comes the first samba group. I had no idea samba was so popular in Japan, but apparently Brazilians are the only nationality legally allowed to immigrate into Japan. Also, Brazil has the largest Japanese popular outside of Japan.

Guy dressed as... a nurse?

Okinawa traditional drumming. It was the coolest!

I want some of these shoes.

Wait, am I in Vegas?

Little kids dressed like this... unnerving.

"Hun, have you seen my smoking house backpack? I'm going to be late for the parade!"

Boy Scouts

Eating kushikatsu (fried stuff on sticks) in Osaka with Meiko and Megumi for Tim's birthday.

wow.

I want to walk on that someday.

Kobe Project

Sunday was really pretty, so after I did the laundry and thoroughly vacuumed my apartment, I rode my bike to Shin Nagata Station, about 30 minutes away. There's a huge robot outside the station. I don't know much about it. Here's the website, but no English :(

http://www.kobe-tetsujin.com/

Mid-Autumn Festival

Sunday was the Mid-Autumn Festival in Nankin Machi (Chinatown) in downtown Kobe. Jennifer, Lamika and I went down to watch a few dances, listen to traditional Chinese music, and eat some good food.

This is the Chinese version of "Where the Wild Things Are".

The little girl on the right was terrified.

Apparently it's good luck when the lion/dog/dragon tries you eat your face off. This woman somberly accepts her fate.

Me and Bruce Lee.

Me as the Kung Lung (whatever that is).