The Adventures of Pika-chan

The fireworks at the Dontsuku Matsuri are the best I've seen in Japan! Maybe even the best I've seen anywhere. I was able to sit so close, and people were very polite not to get in each other's ways. 

The floats are being carried down the street to much singing, dancing and merriment. It is really fun seeing everyone have such a wonderful time, here at the Dontsuku Matsuri.

It's time to begin!

I think I will relax here for a while to listen to the waves, as I wait for the festival to begin. This? This is happiness. An evening on the seaside in a land that I love, with the wind in my fur and a festival to look forward to.

Nya, the breeze is lovely... I feel really content.

This is the other side of the massive float. The ogre has a very, very large nose! I really like being by the seaside here.

People are still setting up, and there is much activity going on as people prepare for the evening.

This float I am standing in front of will be carried down the streets. It is in the shape of a giant phallus!

The table over there has warm water waiting for me, and yummy green tea-leaves to soak in it. I will sit on the tatami mats to enjoy my matcha. Kat, my travel companion, also has a yukata laid out for her, so that she can wear it in the ryokan! She chose the pink one. ^_^

It's time to relax! This is my room at the ryokan. It was very affordable, but the room is big, and very pretty. I am going to relax here for a little bit and drink tea, and eat red bean jelly, before I go out for the rest of the night.

I'm here! Izu-Kogen Station! After a full day of travel, I've reached my destination... but my day isn't over yet - not even close! Time to go to my ryokan for the evening.

If I sit just here, it looks like I'm the bus-driver! Pika the bus-driver is what they should call me! Tehehe!

I'm afraid I'm new to bus travel in Japan. It's a little bit scary, because I know all the stops with the train... but the bus is a little bit different!

Back to the trains again! On my way to Izu-Inatori.

Wow. That was YUM.

Hmm... this one looks interesting... I wonder how it tastes?

Whizzing through the Shizuoka countryside. It's just beautiful outside my little train window.