Sukkot

So, besides some apples (without honey, despite having bought some for that purpose...) and a rather strange version of tashlich where we threw "Melon Pan" (a type of sweet bread that is popular all over Japan) from under a bridge into the Kamogawa in Kyoto, I mostly did not observe the holidays this year.

I did, however, write my column this month about the celebration of Sukkot. That got me excited about building a sukkah, although the only place I could do it was my own balcony, half of which is taken up by trash I don't know how to throw out (including that awful peeling couch). Furthermore, my balcony doesn't meet the requirement of not having shelter already above it. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, everyone insisted there was nowhere to build the sukkah.

So, balcony it was.

Typhoons pumelled the area, so I was a few days late, but I eventually bought a large sheet of bamboo held together by twine, and hung that up by my laundry polls. I hung persimmons and "goyas" (lumpy vegetables - not sure of the english name, but it's apparently very bitter) - they were cheap because they are in season. I then collected branches in the woods and attached them all to the bamboo. The fruits and vegetables were the hardest. I used a needle and thread - I only got six up, but it took forever. The branches are a bit sparse, but I was told not to pick them off the trees. I did anyway, but I didn't want to look too conspicuous (left the chainsaw at home), so I didn't get very much. A lot of the leaves are above my reach, and I saw a venemous snake (albeit a dead venemous snake) on the road in front of my apartment the other day, so I was not to keen on romping through the brush.

I took some pictures with a disposable camera, and if they turn out, I'll post them. All my digital things are going a bit haywire, so no promises for pictures! It doesn't look like much, but I put a lot into it, and I am proud of it!