Natsu Matsuri 2015
Afternoon peeps! I am back for another weekly update! Yesterday, I finally had time to reminisce my old visit to the Changi Japanese Primary School. It's time for Natsu Matsuri again. I guess it was about 8 years since my last trip? It was so less crowded that time. Things had changed as years passed, the organisers have larger budget and more spaces to have booths and place for visitors to enjoy their foods. That without saying means also more vendors as the years passed.
Don't mind that I "off-topic" a bit? On my way to the event, I saw this row of pinkish and white trumpet and mempat flowers blossoming while I was on the train. Apparently, it looks very alike to Sakura trees from afar. I guess if we have a mempat/trumpet tree park in Singapore, it would have attracted lots of tourists. So, after seeing those trees yesterday, I went to research on google. According to Mempat Tree Awareness, our Singapore "Sakura" blossom during Feb/Mar and Jul/Aug. Unlike Japan which has pretty fixed date for hanami, we don't have any fixed dates to really see these trees blossom. Guess, it's about tracking and bit of luck.
Follow Mempat Tree Awareness on Facebook so you can know when to see the flowers!
https://www.facebook.com/MempatTreeAwareness?fref=nf
IMO, the best place to take and see these pretty flowers should be on Bedok Road. After seeing the flowers, you still can walk back to Tanah Merah station to take train to Changi Airport to see planes and have lunch. Hahas.
Back to today's focus, so I arrived at Tanah Merah station at around 1600 hrs. Then, I took the free shuttle bus from the station to the event venue. There were no queue for the bus but when I reached the school, it was queue and queue everywhere. Luckily, I only took about 30 mins to get my tickets and entered the school. Each ticket cost S$2.00, it's the usual price as last few years and haven't been changed.
人が多かったです!
During my visit in 2008, I go for the yukata rental service by the organiser. It cost about S$5.00 in total, I guess? Now that there are more demand, the price has rose. Besides, there are only limited number of yukata for rental. This year, I bought my own yukata which also includes my geta too. I spent approx. S$40 for the whole set from Taobao. I think I will be wearing it once in a while so there is no point for me to get those expensive ones in Singapore's stores. However, I did spent about S$30 on the obi while I was in Tokyo this year.
Trying out my own yukata months before the event...Hahas!
I did not visit the game stores as there are too many people around. I only walk and shop around the bazaar for foods and desserts. I also tried the frozen lychee beer from Kirin. The bon odori started at about 1930 hrs which I was actually queuing up for my manga portrait. The portrait cost S$10 each, it varies if you have more people inside the portrait. I was happy with the drawing, it was good. I wrapped the day with a gudetama plushie that cost me S$14.00.
Delicious Kirin beer!
Maze Soba from Ramen Matsuri!
Yummy takoyaki!~
Matcha's Ice Cream!!~
Yo-yo Tsuri (ヨーヨー釣り)
Selfies!!
Spotted the kids playground
So, that's pretty much about my visit this year. After reading on my experience, are you more tempted to attend the event next year? I guess my next visit would be 5 years later? Hahas. We will see about that then.
Story Closed on 23.08.2015.
#wjalmighty #weeklypost #weeklyupdate #dinner #event #natsumatsurisg #natsumatsuri2015 #singapore #sg #travels #thingstodoinAugust #japanese #summer #bonodori
Photo Credits:
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYn55xqr8jTyVoQfbkSm5gqm4h4JYn21Ed_Vk2Pb6cMyDgH32q4Sr1xZmMhsCm68ZAWwT2LgEg8TIvmyXjgrjzp2mazVlvv6I95-293CGaixEcmcuYGohvv4UoKBJPK4aWpe-ExQ/s1600/IMG_8159.JPG
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