Yochien

Well, I've been pretty busy. I should have been busy getting ready for the teaching semester the impending start of which I am trying forget. Instead I have been preparing Master Samuel for the beginning of HIS semester which was Monday. Sam is attending the nursery school at the Nishi Honganji temple. Nishi Honganji is the center of the Nishi Honganji sect of Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land) Buddhism. Within their huge complex is included a yochien, Nishi Honganji Chuo Yochien.

Youchien is sort of preschool and kindergarten combined for ages 3-6. Sam is young by a bit, but they let him in. Most Japanese people my age that I have talked to are quite nostalgic about Yochien, including the school lunches, special events, and gear. And the gear has kept me busy.

First there were the things I should make - some I could buy, but in homemade is preferred. Then buying parts of the uniform that I couldn't borrow from the school and the things I wasn't up for making. Then everything needed labeling, down to the marker pens and caps. I made 1.) a rosary bag 2.) more masculine cover for his disaster protection (防災）cushion (the one I inherited was very pink. They said it was OK for me to buy the cup bag and tote bag so I did. Here's my cushion cover and photos of many of the things I labeled with his name written out in hiragana script.


And he's off!