F I R S TP R E V767NEXTLAST

Mini Series, Japantown Children's Day, Day 2 of 2
The Children's Day celebrations featured a number of other attractions beyond singing and dance. Special foods at the festival include kashiwa-mochi, a rice cake stuffed with bean paste and wrapped in an oak leaf, which is also a symbol of strength, and iris flowers are displayed to ward off evil. Pictured above is Kendo martial arts demonstration and anime characters who posed with children for photographs.

Also shown is a traditional festival game, kingyo-sukui or goldfish scoop. Contestants try to scoop goldfish from the pool into a cup using a paper net which dissolves quickly in water. Speed and timing are the key to taking home a bagged goldfish. While this game is generally just for fun at festivals there is a national competition of goldfish scooping in Japan.
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