The Cultural Fair!

[wise_maiden]

Who: Everyone's invited!
What: The Cultural Fair
When: June 5th- 12th - admittedly dates are sort of nebulous - set up could have begun as early as the 5th, but given the event recently, more days could have been taken to do it and for people to involve themselves, so it probably "officially" starts a little later (by the 8th at the very least, though work can go on throughout it) - feel free to use your judgement/have fun!
Where: All around the town square!
Summary: Here.
Rating: ... who knows?!



Notes: Booths can be labeled as separate comments! Just put [booth name] or something in the subject line so people can find top level comments easier.

Work probably started for it on the 5th-7/8th for labor purposes, though feel free to use dates to your advantage here! (Even if characters slapdash something at the last minute, it would be fun to see! It would even be encouraged after the crazy from the last event - kind of a way to get back in touch with themselves.)

CHARACTERS ARE WELCOME TO TAG THE LOG FOR INTERACTING WITH OTHERS, NOT JUST BOOTHS, SO FEEL FREE TO TAG IN! Also a character who might not know what's going on is welcome to walk by and question it! And so forth. (Helios and Ikki made posts in regard to it and there have been art club posters around, so anyone could have noticed those as well!)

I'll leave descriptions up to you all as there isn't much that is too uniform about the displays, as everyone is encouraged to be creative about their presentations and how hard the characters worked isn't something I could define for each of you. Just keep in mind that this takes place in the plaza, there shouldn't be an issue with blocking traffic (there may be ropes up to try and keep pathways clear, however!), though it may branch around various points of the square depending on where someone wants a booth located / the number of actual participants. The square will also have a lot of brightly colored signs and decorations indicating what is going on!



For ideas/reference on how it was handled last time, feel free to look through here! There's no official signup, so go forth!

Comments

[therewerefifty]

[That startles her.]

Illegal?

...why?

[Not that... she can't think of a few reasons, but she's always doubted in any man's ability to see them.]

[neverplaysfair]

Oh, a variety of reasons. Naturally the trade itself persists in many different forms, but the establishments of Yoshiwara as you probably know it are long gone.

[therewerefifty]

Ah. So most likely it's just far more secretive. But yes, I imagine so.

[neverplaysfair]

Mmm... secretive is probably the wrong word. People have merely been made to exploit more loopholes. Following the rules of the law while ignoring the spirit of it.

[therewerefifty]

[How bizarre. There are other questions she has of Yoshiwara's future, but it occurs to her that perhaps asking what appears to be a teenage boy about it isn't exactly good sense. Deflection is good.]

I suppose a great many things have changed in the future. I understand the caste system was abolished well over a century ago.

[neverplaysfair]

[ Nonsense it is the best idea. ]

Mostly. It's not entirely gone, but at least on the surface, it's disappeared. Most people aren't restricted in what they can become by their birth or their parents.

Japan also interacts with foreign countries a great deal more nowadays than ever before. That's also had a strong influence on lots of things.

[therewerefifty]

I've heard about that, though I'm not sure how it came about. [The idea is pretty daunting, to be honest.] Most Japanese I meet seem quite happy with where they've come from, so I assume that... might be a good thing.

[Maybe. She's uncertain. But she'll be long dead before then, so does it really matter?]

[neverplaysfair]

Many people have different opinions. It's the same as anything else.

But the world moves forward faster than any one country can advance alone. If Japan didn't reach out, we'd be left far behind. That's the nature of things in the time I come from.

At the very least, I'd like to think we still have pride in our history.

[ He gives a small nod towards the shamisen. ]

[therewerefifty]

History...

[She follows his gaze, and her fingers touch the strings of the shamisen gently.] I suppose there are always some things to be proud of. I'm glad the shamisen has survived that long.

[neverplaysfair]

I am as well. It was quite a wonderful instrument, and losing it would have meant losing a good deal of culture.

But if there's one thing Japan has retained through the years, it's nationalism.

[therewerefifty]

Nationalism...?

[She's acutely aware of the fact she seems to be parroting this boy, and Makie flushes slightly. She'd never given much thought to such things-- it's only recently she's gained more of an interest in Japan's flow of history.] You must find me quite ignorant.

[neverplaysfair]

In a way. But acknowledging ignorance and seeking to overcome it are things to be proud of, themselves.

Ah, you never told me what year you come from.

[therewerefifty]

The second year of Tenmei. It's the late... [What was it, Saori told her.] ...seventeenth. No. Late eighteenth century.

[neverplaysfair]

Tenmei. Tenmei... ah, that was after Kansei, wasn't it? [ ... wait. ] Or was it before? I'll admit, I tend to get the eras around that time mixed up somewhat.

[therewerefifty]

It may have been after Tenmei. Unless it was very, very much before my time. I've not heard that dating.

[neverplaysfair]

[ He actually was still living in Yoshiwara then. Well, as much as a dead person can live, at any rate. ]

Ah, I may have just spoiled you, then. [ He giggles. ] But I do have a good idea of about when you're talking about. You still have a bit more time before some of the major changes will be occurring.

[therewerefifty]

That's a pity. It might have been interesting to see those major changes come about.

[neverplaysfair]

Indeed. But then again, it's rare that there's any change so drastic that a single lifespan can see the full effects of it. Everyone only gets their own brief moment of it. I doubt everyone would be able to handle it if it were otherwise.

Every era brings its own change in its own way.

[therewerefifty]

True. Drastic change tends to bring with it a lot of chaos, and people are... set in their ways. Even a revolution may take a generation or two to make the changes it wants.

[Reading up on Japanese history has been a hobby of late.]

[neverplaysfair]

Is chaos your sort of thing?

[therewerefifty]

[...

...what a question. When all she wants to do is not cause trouble...]

No. I have no interest in chaos.

[neverplaysfair]

Then the eras of major changes might not be for you, after all. Most of them had plenty of chaos in their own ways.

[therewerefifty]

[He has a point. It's naive to think such changes could merely be witnessed without being drawn into them.]

I suppose I shall settle for reading all about them instead.

[neverplaysfair]

... Now that you mention it, I can't say I've had a good look at the history section of the library yet. How late do you suppose the various history books might go?

[ Because now he's curious. ]

[therewerefifty]

I'm not quite sure. The one I'm reading follows up to the end of the nineteenth century, but I believe there's at least one that follows on from there.

[There's not a huge selection, but more than she'd expect for a... a multi-world library. But then again, a lot of people do seem to come from Japan.]