Natsu Matsuri- Japanese Summer Festival

Being bi-racial and multi-cultural has got to be the coolest thing in the world. The number of situations that you get to experience on a daily basis is mindblogging to a one race, one culture person.

As a Japanese-Indian hybrid of sorts, not only do I have the option of participating in hundreds of Indian functions and festivals dedicated to the Hindu Gods, the harvest etc, but I also get to learn about this other part of me that, although not as dominant in my day to day life, is still unquestioningly there.

Take the Natsu Matsuri (Japanese Summer Festival) for example. How many people, outside of Japan, get to experience things like that? I can't imagine my life without the annual Natsu Matsuri festival at The Japanese School in New Delhi. Girls dressed in yukatas, the array of delicious Japanese dishes all laid out in their individual stalls, the odori at dusk and the finalmente: The fireworks. It's my favourite festival of all time because of the apparent community-hood, the giving and the sharing, the sea of Japanese and half-Japanese faces and because of the food (c'mon, this is a food blog... what did you expect?).

This year, Natsu Matsuri was celebrated on the 24th of September and it was spectacular. Although I think they should change the name of the festival from "Summer Festival" to "Food Festival" because a) it is celebrated here in India towards the end September when it's almost Autumn (wait, does Delhi have an autumn or any season other than summer?) and b) it's more like a five-hour long pigging out session with bits of festivities added in for the day to qualify as a festival.

Anyway, I'm going to let the photos speak for the festival. There is a short fireworks video towards the end of this post. I think that's my favourite part of the festival...kind of like a pre mini diwali.

Japanese Paper Lanterns

My sister in her Yukata and
her Kare-pan-man mask

Takoyaki - Octopus in grilled batter balls

Dumplings

The queue for the yakitori

Yakitori skewers on the grill

Squid with Japanese mayonnaise (the best mayonnaise :) )

Daifuku: Sweet mochi balls with red bean paste

Oh yeh! Yum-Oh!

Pork Skewers, Ramen and Daifuku

Edamame

Crushed Ice with different flavours!

Goldfish Fishing:) 

My sister's friend caught that one

The Summer Festival Dance

My friend, my sister's friend and my sister
 goofing around in their  Karepan man and
Melonpanna masks

:))