By MAAYA KONAGAI
Staff writer
Japan isn't a
difficult place to live. If you want to eat Mexican food, there are Mexican
restaurants. If you want to buy brand-name British clothes, there are shops
and websites that deliver. So Tokyo Hotaru Festival asks the question: What
does Tokyo, where you can get anything, really need now?
The answer, organizers say, has to do with a
return to the past. Long ago, the Sumida River, which runs through Tokyo's
east end, was one of the life sources of the community. The Hotaru Festival
will try to draw attention to an effort by locals to
beautify the river and its precincts.
As May 5 is Children's Day in Japan, there will be a lot of activities for
families to do by the river.
One activity aimed
specifically at children is the Kodomo no Fune no Parade (Children's
Boat Parade). Kids will be asked to create a special flag and then board a
boat. They will then fly their flags as part of a nautical parade down Sumida River.
Promising to be one of the most breathtakingly beautiful
activities is the Hikari no Symphony (Symphony of Lights) on
May 6, for which people will be able to float inori no hoshi (wishing
stars) down the river in the form of LED lights. The aim is to make the
riverbed look as if it has been populated by thousands of fireflies — an
image that many associate with
their childhood and growing up in the countryside. The nearby Tokyo Sky Tree,
which is scheduled to open on May 22, will also be lit up for this portion of
the event.
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VOCABULARY
1.
Organizers
- someone who makes the arrangements for something that is planned to
happen
2.
draw attention - to make someone notice
something
3.
precincts
- an area of a town where people can walk and shop, and where cars are not
allowed
4.
nautical
- relating to ships, boats, or sailing
5.
Promising-
showing signs of being successful or good in the future
6.
Associate
- to make a connection in your mind between one
thing or person and another
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
What can you say about LED lights?
2.
What is Sumida River known for?
3.
Talk about the Hotaru Festival or other festival
related to the Sumida River
