I love going to the gardens so much. It's so beautiful and peaceful. It's so green, there are rock gardens, and it's quiet.
There are beautiful flowers and trees.
But yesterday, yesterday had to be the single most dissatisfying experience I've had.
Yesterday was just so frustrating! Normally I love going to Hatsume Fair. The gardens are absolutely gorgeous, and it's peaceful with the low murmer of voices, the occasional karate demonstration and the banging of taiko drums. I've gone for the past couple of years and it's been the most enjoyable experience, and I look forward to it every year. I normally leave after having spent tons of money in the gift shop, buying various Japanese goods (soaps, drinks, candies, tableware), and I'm content.
This year they added some new things. It used to be some taiko drum performances, dance performances, tea ceremonies, and martial arts demonstrations. This year, they added an anime section, filled with vendors, dealers, and a cosplay competition. I don't mind anime, I even used to like it, but normally the people that come along with it, I'm definitely not too crazy about. So while last year the fair was calming and peaceful and about celebrating the coming Spring, this year the place was overrun with young teenagers in costumes, and children running around screaming. It's a garden not a playground.
As mum and I were walking through the gardens, there was a girl dressed as Yuffie Kisaragi
running and jumping on everything. Climbing the rocks and the gates. How disrespectful can you be? Not only that, but there were kids taking pictures in the rock gardens. Shuffling around and kicking rocks, disturbing the flowing lines. Obviously, they do not have any idea of how much work goes into a rock garden. I've never seen such disrespect. And I sound like an old woman.
We felt like we couldn't relax and really enjoy ourselves. We would get a few seconds of peace and quiet, and then a young child or a cosplaying teenager would run screaming by, acting out their character. We walked the gardens once, before we left. Add to that, even though it is technically spring, a lot of plants and flowers and trees haven't bloomed yet, so there wasn't the usual beauty. There were a few blooming plants, but nothing too exotic.
but honestly, I took more pictures of myself and of my mum than I did of the gardens or the fair.
these are the ones that I liked :3
The most enjoyable part of the fair was the main building museum, which the current exhibit is Kimono. There were a lot of gorgeous kimono and obi, as well as old books that displayed kimono designs and patterns. There were paintings of Geisha and backstory behind the paintings. It was the best part, because not only was it put together well, but the main building's museum isn't frequented by a lot of people. There were no screaming children or cosplaying teens.
The gift shop was a downer though. I love to walk through and pick out candies, tableware, etc. and you couldn't even walk anywhere. It was packed full of teenagers in costumes, swinging around their props, I'm surprised things didn't break. I wanted to look at the bentos, but I couldn't even get on that side of the store, that's where they all congregated. I dislike crowds, I dislike rowdy teenagers, I dislike disrespectful people. That was our last stop before we left, and we walked in and walked out.
Aside from the inner museum, the highlight of my day (aside from spending the time with my mum) was getting my pomegranate aloe drink.
I've never had it before, but it was so good. T.T There were pulpy bits, I want to say of aloe(?) That were sweetened by the pomegranate. Though I was a bit confused, becaaaause it's a Japanese festival, aaaand this was definitely a Korean product. Whatever, I got to enjoy it, and it was a pro to the day.
Overall, the fair was just so disappointing. I'm glad I got to spend time with my mum, we always have fun together, but I do know that I won't be going to Hatsume next year.
I prefer to go in April, for my birthday. It's quiet, the gardens are blooming, the food is good and best of all, there are no teenagers or screaming children running around, disturbing the peaceful atmosphere.
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