Manzai Break

The end of the school year here is nearing, and as teachers try to cram in a few last lessons while preparing the students for the grand finale celebration known as graduation, hints of spring are peeking around the corner. I know what you're thinking, but no, the cherry blossoms haven't started to bloom yet. Hopefully they will be making their debut at the end of the month. The weather is still chilly, but there's signs of a gradual warming in the weather reports (and I hope they're right). Yesterday, the weather was chilly but sunny for the comedy festival on Kitagi Island.
Kitagi is a tiny island, but it boasts of being the hometown of a member of the popular comedy duo Chidori. They perform a manzai style stand-up comedy and have been on various TV comedy programs. Another more local performing manzai group with hometown ties to Kitagi also performed, along with an Okayama city native comedian. Various other islanders showcased their talents in forms of music and dance in a celebration of the island group's vast cultural abundance. Daigo, the Kitagi member of Chidori, was warmly welcomed back to his hometown. His mother even performed with her traditional dance group. Kitagi was a main topic of their humor, noting things like the fact that Kitagi has no stoplights, vending machines, convenience stores, and the police on bikes lack helmets. Island life has a unique sort of countryside living that the young groan about and the old absolutely love. I love the relaxed, quiet island atmosphere with a tight-knit community, but I have to admit, the lack of stores is frightening. If you need a cup of milk, do you go to your neighbor? Commuting to the mainland takes about 45 minutes and ferries only run so often. Living on an island must save a lot in mindless spending and going out. Maybe I should move there...

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy some pictures!

Feel like you're on an episode of Lost?

The weather was sunny and the crowd was laughing.

Chidori bringing on the laughter. Kitagi native Daigo is on the left.

On another note, the weather was chilly enough for me to still be wearing a winter coat but I unexpectedly got sunburned on my face. I hope my face won't feel like it's on fire for very long. :|