Now and Then

The most unusual thing about the sandwich shop was that it allowed carryout--a rarity around here. Otherwise, it was cozy, as a sandwich shop serving coffee should be. The owner was forgiving of our poverty and let us bring in our own cake for the celebration. And we celebrated! Most of the festivity came from the girls excitement. They seemed so pleased that someone had planned a birthday party for their mother. It was endearing to see two kids so excited at the pleasure of their parent. So a Janglish conversation filled in the cracks between rounds of hand-games and bites of food.

So goes the celebration of a Now festival. The next morning we enjoyed a bit of the Then. It wasn't a very long walk into the past, just across the road and down a bit. We'd been to the park several times to gape at the ancient rubble and wonder what the historical sign would say if it suddenly translated itself. This time the park was full to the brim. Girls in kimonos, men as Samuri and women adorned for tea ceremony filled the lawn around the monument. Everyone was there to enjoy lunch and watch for the festival parade to return up the mountain from the bay.

I can't say that the girls faces were more enchanting in the light of the birthday celebration or the sunshine of the festival, but I can say that both Then and Now grace the Japanese culture with an unsual friendship with each other.