July 25: Bon Dance 　　　　by Mie
	I took an early supper and went to Ms. Ihara's (one of my close friends nearby) house to ask her help in wearing Yukata. We then went to the central square of our community where the Bon Dance is to be held.
In Fujimigaoka community, there are 18 blocks and an additional new district Sakura Hills. The population reaches to about 10,000. Each district has original design of Yukata. We are now dancing Fujimigaoka song.
	Mr. nakazono, the leader of our No.2 block, holds a banner of the block in the Bon dance circle.
	Just 30 minutes dancing makes me soaked with sweat, my hands and legs heavy. In an intermission, we enjoy chatting with friends nearby with whom we seldom see each other.
This is Chikirin-Batashi of Tsurusaki Dance. The dancers hold two drumsticks decorated with red-and-white tape. My body still remembers the move I had learned many years ago. Saemon Dance, on the right, is slightly easier to dance.
	Each dancer got a round fan; it is really hot and humid.
	In our community, 43 people have passed away in past one year. Here is an altar decorated with flowers. Todays Bon Dance is dedicated to the deceased.
One and a half-hour Bon Dance were over in sweat. Each participant got a memento. A lottery game is being held on the stage. Every prize passes over my head. Lucky winners got wonderful prizes such as TV set, video, dish dryer, fan, vacuum cleaner and so on.
Open stalls are one of the pleasures of a festival. Many kinds of stalls are crowded with people in lovely Yukata like those.
	Dear old mask shop keeps nostalgia for many years. If asked, the characters of the mask may have updated.