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Last summer, they canceled all the local festivals because of the pestilence at large. Though vaccinations are happening now in Japan, it’s slow going, and I suspect summer festivals will fall victim to the plague for a second year.

Unlike last year, though, when I just sat glumly at home, wishing I had something festive to attend, this year I will take matters into my own hands. I will make my own fun.

Festivals are reliably lovely and are my favorite cultural events of the year. The atmosphere is wonderful. There’s the food, the games, and the happy people, many of whom are wearing yukata¹ or jinbei². These are garments I sincerely believe look great on everyone, and festivals are when you see them most.

But if there are no festivals? Well then, fine. I’ll make my own surrogate festival-like experience on a personal scale.

On some balmy summer evening, I will arrive in the park just as the sun sets, well-equipped to enjoy myself.

I will drape the picnic blanket over a stone wall under a young maple tree. From one a branch, I will hang my camping lantern, which will stand in for a paper lantern. Suitable music will play on my phone at a low volume.

Next, food. I’ll prepare yakisoba ahead at home and buy karaage³ from the nearby convenience store. Takoyaki⁴ will come from the stand near the station, and maybe even some taiyaki⁵ to round things out.

These will be accompanied by cans of Asahi Super Dry, kept extra cold on ice.

But most importantly, seated next to me will be Mayumi, both of us wearing our yukata for the occasion. And while there will be no festival for us this year, we can at least remember past festivals enjoyed together and let those happy memories enrich our own small tribute to a great summer tradition.

Indulge me, if you would, and let me have a bit of an aside for today’s entry. The last couple of weeks have been incredibly intense and have contained both some of the most trying and most amazing moments of my life. The outlook was especially grim just over two weeks ago, but is much, much better now.

Still, there’s still so much work to do, and I’m doing the dance one does when keeping burnout at bay, while also doing my best to amplify newfound hope. The next handful of weeks involve me needing to get my taxes filed properly in Japan and, even more complicatedly, apply for my new work visa. All of this is turning out to be much more complicated than it was five years ago when I last renewed, and it’s a major drain.

I started this project with the sense that it would be a good way to get back into a consistent writing practice. This is something I need for my long-term plans, my work, and my general life satisfaction.

It has already become highly stimulating and generative, and I can feel the writing part of my creativity getting back into shape. I’m looking forward to the end of the year, when I can look back at having successfully written all 105 posts.

This week, though, I am exhausted and stretched ever-so thin. I had some drafts, but none were very good, so instead of any of those, let me take this opportunity to thank you for your time and attention. Thank you for your encouragement and support. Thank you for the opportunity to have an audience as I make the effort to get my creative life back on track through this practice.

I am here in Japan to build an interesting life, and your being part of my audience is something that helps me get where I’m trying to go. Thanks for that.