We checked out from the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center for the last time today! Then, we took a bus to the National Theatre to see a kabuki performance. For most of us, it was the first time we were seeing kabuki. Before the performance, the meaning behind certain sounds and movements during kabuki were explained to make it easier for the audience to understand. Luckily, there was an English earphone guide for those of us that did not speak Japanese! After having a kabuki lecture last week, it was interesting to see what the performance was really like. One of the most interesting moments was when 7 extra kabuki actors ran onto the stage to serve as the 7 other heads of the 8-headed serpent villain. We sure didn’t see that coming!
We went back to Showa to eat lunch and grab our belongings before heading off to Tomei Gakurin, Showa’s “off-campus training facility”! The bus ride was almost 2 hours long, but people got in some well-deserved sleep and chatted with everyone else. At Tomei Gakurin, the highlight of the day was dinner. Everyone helped serve each other and said “itadakimasu” before eating. Dessert was served soon after, with a “gochisousama deshita” to follow. Then, everyone helped clean up and put away the dishes. It was amazing to see the teamwork that came from the students!
