Kindergartens and other preschools in Japan always hold an annual festival, often coinciding with the national holiday, Culture Day, November 3. Anri's Kindergarten, Enpuku, always has their festival on Culture Day itself, and Anri participated in it for the first



The day began with the kids from all classes carrying their own homemade portable shrines, called omikoshi around the block. The portable shrine, while centered around Shintoism, is carried by the kids more to mimic the tradition of carrying shrines at festivals, rather than to perform a religious ritual. And the kids' own shrines are all based on things appealing to kindergarteners. Anri's class, the "Dandelion" class, had their shrine based on some kind of crayon cartoon character.

After the carrying of the shrines, the kids arrive back at the kindergarten and operate vendor stalls, selling toys, homemade crafts, and especially food to all the parents and other guests. Anri's stall was popular enough to sell out of toys very quickly.

The festival is most popular with visiting adults, as there is a room where one can buy hand-me-down clothes and other items at very cheap prices. Tomomi got a great little dress for Anri for around 50 cents. All the good stuff goes quickly there.

The festival ends with everyone having lunch in the yard. Anri was asleep in the car as soon as Tomomi pulled out of the parking lot.