Evening cool-down party at Yawara Nursery School in Hokuryu Town, full of energy after lollygagging over Nagashi Somen noodles!

Monday, July 19, 2021

On Friday evening, July 16, from 5:30 p.m., a "cool evening party" was held at Yawara Nursery School (Director: Yasuhiro Sugiyama) in Hokuryu Town. Eleven children from the school's senior class participated in the event.

Kimimasa Mikami and Osamu Kato, both residents of Hokuryu Town, volunteered to set up the stage, including the bamboos, for the "Nagashi Somen" event, which was held under a blue sky.

Yawara Nursery School in Hokuryu Town

appearance

Hokuryu-cho Yawara Nursery School
Hokuryu-cho Yawara Nursery School

Inside the park

Sparkling yellow ceiling shades adorn a ceiling dyed with sunflowers.

Ceiling shades sparkle brightly.
Ceiling shades sparkle brightly.

festival game in which participants try to catch goldfish in a shallow paper ladle

The "Cool Evening Party" started with a "goldfish scooping" event.
Toy penguins and whales resembling goldfish float in a small plastic pool, and visitors scoop penguins with numbered stickers attached to them.

Goldfish scooping!
Goldfish scooping!

Get a present!

The children are in a good mood after getting a present (fireworks, snacks, etc.) for the number they scooped!

Full of gifts!
Full of gifts!

fine white noodles served flowing in a small flume

Next, it's time for the "Nagashi Somen" (flowing noodles). The children's energetic voices echoing through the halls, "Thank you, please!

Preparation by Kimimasa Mikami and Sai Kato

The "Nagashi Somen Set" was prepared by two volunteers, Kimimasa Mikami and Osamu Kato, who live in Hokuryu Town.

We have been doing 'Nagashi Somen' at the nursery schools for about 10 years, but last year we resumed it at Yawara Nursery School, and it was so well received that we decided to do it again this year.

Mr. Mikami and Mr. Kato preparing
Mr. Mikami and Mr. Kato preparing

set of fine white noodles served flowing in a small flume

About 10 years ago, a friend in Miyagi Prefecture brought in two natural bamboos about 12 meters long by a large truck.

At the time, I was talking with Mr. Kato about how fun it would be to do "Nagashi Somen" with this bamboo. The bamboo was processed for Somen. The bamboo was used for taiko drumming practice," Mikami-san said.

In the garden of the school, long bamboos made by splitting natural bamboos in half and removing knots, and bamboo tripods to support them, were set up and ready to go!

Bamboo for Nagashi Somen
Bamboo for Nagashi Somen

Cool water flow

Adjustment of water flow
Adjustment of water flow
Cool water flow over bamboo rails
Cool water flow over bamboo rails

flowing ingredients

The school prepares the boiled somen noodles to be served. Each child was given a cup filled with mentsuyu and chopsticks with his or her name on it, and the children were ready to go!

Soumen and Ramen

Somen & Ramen
Somen & Ramen

Muscats, cherries, mini-tomatoes!

Muscat & Cherry & Mini Tomato
Muscat & Cherry & Mini Tomato

Gummies, marshmallows, cheese, chocolate

Various sweets
Various sweets

Children waiting in a friendly line with cups of men-tsuyu

Cups containing men-tsuyu distributed
Cups containing men-tsuyu distributed

Delicious! Delightful!

Flowing coolly along the bamboo rails with the water flowing briskly are not only somen noodles, but also ramen noodles!

The children skillfully scooped up the flowing somen noodles with their chopsticks and snapped them off!

Catch it well with chopsticks!
Catch it well with chopsticks!

Delicious! "So much fun!" The children were very excited!

Delicious! Delightful!
Delicious! Delightful!

Flowing Somen Noodles with Everyone

Flowing Somen Noodles with Everyone
Flowing Somen Noodles with Everyone

Mikami-san and Kato-san were also with us!

Mikami-san and Kato-san were also with us!
Mikami-san and Kato-san were also with us!

Enjoy yourself with your teacher...

Let's eat together, teacher!
Let's eat together, teacher!

dessert

And for dessert, muscats, cherries, and mini-tomatoes! And even gummy bears, chocolate, and cheese flowed in, and everyone was so excited! Excitement was also maxed out!

The chocolate is flowing!

Chocolate!
Chocolate!

Cherry, I got it!

Cherry, I got it!
Cherry, I got it!

I'll pick it up with my hand!

I'll pick it up with my hand!
I'll pick it up with my hand!

Rice ball and watermelon

We will enjoy Nagashi Somen as much as we can and also have rice balls and watermelon!

Delicious rice balls with name stickers!
Delicious rice balls with name stickers!
Watermelon!
Watermelon!

Sitting on a blue sheet.

Gathered on blue sheets, we all sat down and enjoyed a delicious rice ball with great satisfaction!

青いシートに座って
Sitting on a blue sheet.

shaved ice (usually served with flavored simple syrup)

And the final touch is "shaved ice!
Each child ordered his or her favorite flavor and took his or her time to enjoy the closing cold with a big smile on his or her face!

Shaved ice gorging!
Shaved ice gorging!
Requested strawberry shaved ice!
Requested strawberry shaved ice!

Thank you for your time "Thank you very much!"

Finally, we all thanked Mikami-san and Kato-san for their hospitality!

Thank you!" and the children express their gratitude in a loud voice!

Loud "Thank you!"
Loud "Thank you!"

You're welcome!" Mikami-san and Kato-san answer with a smile.

You're welcome!
You're welcome!

Everyone snapped a picture!

Yasuhiro Sugiyama, Director, Kimimasa Mikami, Osamu Kato

Yasuhiro Sugiyama, Director, Kimimasa Mikami, Osamu Kato
From left: Mr. Kimimasa Mikami, Mr. Yasuhiro Sugiyama, Director, and Mr. Osamu Kato

Teachers with great smiles!

Teachers with great smiles!
Teachers with great smiles!

After this, when the sun goes down and it gets dark, the children's enjoyment time will continue with the "Ghost Festival" & "Fireworks Display" scheduled to take place!

Everyone snapped a picture!

Everyone snapped a picture!
Everyone snapped a picture!

The children's energetic power burst forth,
Moody smiles and laughter filled the park,
For a fun yawara nursery school evening party,
With endless love, gratitude and prayers.

In the power of light...
In the power of light...

More Photos

interpoint (interword separation)Click here for 93 photos of a cool evening party at Yawara Nursery School in Hokuryu Town >>
 

◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi
 

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