Anna Matsushita

  Our local shrine’s festival resumed for the first time in three years. Streets were once again jolly with illuminated lanterns. Kids were playing wood flute and drums to add festive feeling. They were performing the music in front of train station. People enjoyed the music in the evening.   I assume that the shrine must have planned the festival when the number of corona patients were decreasing daily – at least until June 2022. People must have put much effort into the preparation, looking forward once again to practice the music, drew out the portable shrine (Omikoshi) ready to be carried around the town, and float to carry the music bands.   Before COVID-19, the festival was like these;   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oWNuFH-CIg https://youtu.be/97cu-n3QXrc I watched the children playing music with somewhat mixed feeling. By the time the festival started, the number of COVID-19 patients were increasing at tremendous speed. I was tracking only the daily figure

  Once the first state of emergency was lifted, it was the time to adopt to so-called new normal. Reduced working hours and days, wash hands once arriving at office, rush to bathroom for a shower once back home, sanitize hands at shop front, keeping social distance. It was also a time to reconnect with friends, neighbours and local community. My mother and her friends were ready to go back to their regular chat over coffee at local community centre as well as local cafes. They were eager to do not only because they had loads to catch up, they wanted to support local businesses. At first, I was slightly concerned with them visiting cafes, as their average age was around 80. Not exactly an appropriate age to go out to mingle while the virus was still strong, I thought. Luckily, none of them became frail during quarantine. Armed with facial masks, small bottles of hand sanitizer and wallets, they began exploring their favourite cafes, shops and restaurants. Every day over dinner, my mothe