This year’s summer started with a high temperature of over 30 degrees which worried us all, but by the end of August it was so chilly that we could not even enjoy pool days.
However the Natsu Matsuri Summer Festival, which we all waited for, was a great success with nice warm weather.With colourful decorations the children made and stalls of food, beverage, gift items and games made the Natsu Matsuri such an enjoyable event, and it was even more enjoyable with many children wearing the yukata and jimbei, to make the event uniquely Japanese in Canada.
We were also grateful for all of your generous donations of juices and baked goods.
With your kind support the children were able to enjoy many games and shopping.
Many parents came to us to ask if we were okay selling items for so cheap. Our goal for the Natsu Matsuri is not in fundraising, but it is more about children to gain experience in shopping, with some $2 or $3 dollars of tickets in hand, to determine which items to buy, to work with their budget to get most out of the festival and fill their stomach and curiosity.
Summer in Japan is all about festivals. All over in Japan, in shrines or organized by the community, there are festivals and children get together with friends to visit each stall to see what’s out there, or join in dances and songs. I too enjoyed each summer and still remember those stalls and the Bon Odori dance, and how much I loved those events.
The Natsu Matsuri, which started out as the Yuu Suzumi Kai, is trying to bring those fun-filled festivals of Japan into Toronto, and to give the children at the Nursery the opportunity to enjoy the Summer of Japan. It would be nice if we could revive those “En-nichi”style stalls that you see in Japanese festivals, but with the limitations in the number of staff and volunteers, this is the best we can do so far. However, with the support and donations from the parents and guardians we are able to offer our children a good variety of stalls: food, drinks, toys, crafts, and games.
We also have stalls that sell craft items made by our own children, and while you may think “wow, do you actually charge for these?”, well, we try to compensate with other items sold at a discounted rate.
Of course, another factor to this event is selling what you made. Seeing people paying money for something that you made is such a joy and helps children build confidence, and it will develop the child’s mind and even more interests towards the world around him/her.
I hope that this Natsu Matsuri becomes an unforgettable event, a cherished memory in their hearts that they will remember in the years to come.
The summer is almost over and we have the rapidly changing weather… one day it is hot and the next day it is cold. Please take care of yourselves and be prepared for the new school term.
Yukari Ikebata, Principal
August 29, 2011