Takeda Shingen Festival and a new TV

This has been a very up and down week for me. Work for the most part was down, although my continued attempts at improving are being attempted. But there is nothing I really want to mention about my job this week, instead I want to talk about more important and enjoyable things.

This past Saturday there was a big festival in Kofu celebrating the areas history and one of the most famous former leaders in Japan, Takeda Shingen. He was a famous feudal lord during the waring states period of Japan's history (1500's). Every year Kofu has a big festival celebrating him and his history. The past two years I had been unable to go to the festival, but this year thanks to some friends who wanted to go, I was able to make it. There was a big parade in the center of Kofu where people in costumes of the area marched toward the old castle grounds. There the festival took on a usual Japanese festival flare of booths full of food, toys, and lots of fun. Also at the festival they performed a ceremony where everyday people performed the roles of the famous people of Takeda Shingen's era. But the biggest surprise was that the main role was played by a very famous Japanese athlete from the past. A man named Yasuhiro Yamashita. He is a very famous judoist who won a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. I actually knew of him from seeing a documentary on the LA Olympics way back when I was a little kid, so seeing him in person was a real treat. I took many pictures of the event and hopefully I can post them soon. It was a very nice night, and thankfully the weather was very enjoyable too.

On that same day I also bought something I've always wanted, a big screen tv! Thanks to a few of my old friends here in Yamanashi, as well as a long period of saving, I was able to buy a new 52" hdtv. I'm waiting for it to be delivered but from what I've seen of it at the electronic store, its huge! I can't wait to watch movies and play games on that, and of course anime and Japanese tv! The only problem with buying a new tv is that I need to rearrange my apartment. Thankfully since its spring, its perfect time for spring cleaning.

This week should be a good one. I get my tv on Wednesday, and now that classes have been going on a couple of weeks, things should go more smoothly again. I hope.