Saturday night we went to the annual Bon Festival at Morikami Gardens. We were so excited to get out of the house and do something together as a family! (this is also the place Ken and I went on one of our first dates, where we spent the afternoon strolling the gardens - so pretty!) We got there around 6pm, but ended up waiting in the long line of cars just to enter the premises. Then we ended having to park in almost the last row! We hiked it to the front gate.... only to find another huge line of people to buy tickets. This was not looking good......
Thankfully we had cash and that line went super fast and we were in the park at around 7 pm.We preceeded to walk over to the area where they were selling paper "lanterns". These lanterns were for purchase to honor and remember a lost loved one. Ken and I decided to each write the name of someone in our family that has passed on -- I wrote my grandfather's name, and he wrote his dad's name. At sunset, Morikami Pond was transformed into a sea of lighted lanterns which, in accordance with Japanese custom, guide the departure of ancestors' souls who have come for a brief visit among the living.
We got to take a close-up photo on a mock lantern.
Some volunteers walking the lanterns to the lake.
Taking a little break on a blanket on the hill after we had some of our "street food" of Soba Noodles and Teriyaki Chicken. Soba Noodles = icky, by the way.
The floating lanterns on Morikami Pond at dusk. So beautiful.
This is us after a hot, sweaty night. Er, uhm, yeah.
The night ended with fireworks!
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