Mascots 2.0

THE GERMAN PACKAGE HAS ARRIVED!!!!!!!!Pictures tonight!

En Francia no celebramos la fiesta de los Reyes Magos, pero el día de la Epifanía es tradición comer "la galette de Rois". Un roscón con frutas escarchadas "le royaume" o "la frangipane" a base de almendras.

Xolotl comió el roscón en casa de Alice además de pasar el fin de semana con ella y su familia.

The cake traditionally celebrating Epiphany in France is sold during the month of January. Two versions exist: in northern France the cake called galette des rois consists of flaky puff pastry layers with a dense center of frangipane. In southern France the cake called gâteau des rois or royaume, is a torus-shaped brioche with candied fruits and sugar, similar in its shape and colours to a crown.

Bronson went to Kodomo-no-shiro, National Children's Castle in Shibuya, Tokyo.

A fabulous play hall halfway between Shibuya and Omotesando. Facilities include climbing equipment and a playhouse on the third floor, and a music lobby on the fourth floor where children can indulge their love of noise. The playport on the fifth-floor roof garden is the biggest attraction, combining a jungle gym with large ball pools.

Fukuwarai

This is a game that frequently is played at New Year. Pieces of paper cut in the shape of eyebrows, eyes, a nose, a mouth, and ears are to be matched with an outline drawing of a woman's face, known as the homely woman (otafuku); to play, one person is blindfolded and creates a face by placing the eyes, nose and other pieces on the outline. Because one proceeds by instinct, the comical features of the completed picture cause the jovial laughter.

Menko

Spins

Try to make BIG Origami

Finished!

Luch Time!

We went to a Japanese restaurant near the castle.

We've had a lots of fun as we've played.

Adapted from China, the shishimai (Lion dance) is often performed around the New Year by one or two lions accompanied by bamboo flutes and drums. It was performed as a prayer for household safety and a good harvest.

There are regional variations; one or two people wearing the lion costume, and one or two lions dancing. At the end of the dance, the lion "bites" the heads of some watchers, to bring luck.

The shishimai shown here is performed at New Year by employees of the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno. The dance features not only a lion but also characters such as a "hyottoko", and "Daikoku", the shinto god of wealth and protector of the soil.

We also enjoy Sarumawashi

(Monkey Performance)

At Boso no Mura

(Experience Museum Chiba Prefectural Boso-no-Mura)

Boso-no-mura is a facility that reproduces a Japanese scenery of 150 years ago at the Boso area (including the Narita Airport area) which were old samurai residences, and farmhouses, and other buildings. Here, you can experience first-hand various types of Japanese culture such as traditional crafts and events that have been passed down through the generations.