Roses and Fireworks

Because I was in the last three weeks of my pregnancy, in the hospital, and at home with a newborn during the time my parents were out, we didn't really get around to much traveling as a group. However, the annual Fukuyama Rose Festival and Bentenjima fireworks display both took place while they were visiting and so they did experience a bit of the fun and energy of a Japanese summer festival. I do love a good parade and festival and was glad that Rosie decided to stay put so that I could enjoy it too.

This year, the Rose Festival took place on the weekend of May 18th and 19th. The first day was unseasonably humid and hot, around 30˚C, and there was really only so much walking, watching street performers, and peeking in on craft stalls that we could handle before the boys and I decided to head back home.

the sign in front said "free hugs" and Theo took him up on that offer

This is my favourite street performer by far.  As far as I know, he shows up every year. 

As soon as she finished, someone decided to walk right down the center of her artwork...sigh! 

On the second day of the festival there is a four hour parade from Fukuyama Station to the Rose Park. We trekked out to the Rose Park to check out the blooms and watch the last two hours of the parade. It had rained during the night, so the roses looked especially beautiful with collections of rain drops in the folds of their petals. 

Here are some scenes from the parade: 

and a tour of the Rose Park:

Very Alice in Wonderland

"Rose Fukuyama" which was developed in 1987 in commemoration of the city

The Bentenjima fireworks festival took place the following weekend in the little port town of Tomonoura. The fireworks are launched from Benten Island, just off the coast of Tomonoura in the Seto Inland Sea. Food stalls line the main street of Tomonoura and people find a spot to sit along the boardwalk overlooking the water.

I love festival food. Yum! 

Waiting for the show to begin

A perfect way to start off the summer! 

Rose City

Fukuyama prides itself on being the rose capital of Japan and at this time of year I can see why. There are roses planted everywhere in every shape and colour. According to the city's website, the citizens began planting hundreds of roses shortly after 80% of the city was destroyed in air raids on August 8, 1945 (two days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima). It gave the survivors something to focus on, beautified the newly destroyed city, and created an identity for the new urban landscape that was built in the following years. Now the city has planted an estimated 400,000 roses on public land and hopes to reach one million roses in the years to come.

William the rose inspector

Having a little nibble

Lora the little rose girl

Basically everything is rose themed here in Fukuyama. The city's mascot is a little rose girl who turns out to be named ローラ, which is my name in katakana. In addition to the roses growing just about everywhere, souvenir shops sell little rose shaped cakes, roses are painted on manhole covers and bridges, there is a large rose garden park, and there is the annual Rose Festival and parade.

This year the Rose Festival was on the 19th and 20th of May. The boys were feeling a bit sniffly, but we still managed to head downtown on both days and take in some street performances, eat a few tidbits from the street stalls, and enjoy some of the parade.

The boys were not too interested in checking out the roses growing in the Rose Park so I was forced to walk though and admire them at high speed. There are over 280 varieties of roses planted in the park and there were four varieties that were developed in Fukuyama for some event or another.

Goldfish for sale at the Rose Festival

Yum!

On my shoulders, William had the best view of the parade while tearing out my hair

I found my rose, too bad I don't really like the colour

Theo insisted on getting a mask (Kamen Rider Fourze?) and posing with it in all of his pictures. At least in this one he wasn't wearing it

We also discovered that the city holds rose grafting and pruning classes and distributes free rose seedlings in the spring and fall to any interested residents. I think I might just take advantage of that!