Blaugust has been in the back of my mind ever since posting last time, which is a good thing because I’m already back with another post. (●’◡’●) It’s obon holiday times, and I got invited by my ex’s family (it’s a long story lol) to go to Naruto on Sunday. It’s where the family grave is located. I’m bad at explaining things, so I found this through a quick search ↓

Obon (お盆) is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one’s ancestors, whose spirits are believed to temporarily return to this world in order to visit their relatives during Obon.

Obon (japan-guide.com)

We had to get up at 5:30 in order to beat the traffic. Basically, everyone was operating on 4-5 hours of sleep. We went as a group in three separate cars; the drive was nice as somebody pulled up in a brand-new Lexus, complete with new car smell and comfy interior. Me and my tax bracket could never.🧍‍♀️

The first major stop after the obligatory convenience store coffee run was the Awaji Highway Oasis service area. Kids involved means lots of bathroom breaks. I hadn’t seen the kiddies in so long and they’re so big now. 😭

It took about 2 hours to get to Naruto in Tokushima. I know I complain about the heat a lot, but the weather was pretty much perfect. It was around 35°C (95°F), but the breeze was cool. We got to the family plot and they cleaned up the tombstones and put fresh flowers in them. After that, it was time to get the kids to the beach.

This was around 10 am. We were the only ones there for a good while, probably since it was still so early. Sweet baby Mikan had the time of her life getting carried across the hot sand like a princess, lapping up cold water, and then getting to play a bit in the sea. 🐕‍🦺

I stayed with most of the adults just sitting on the sand with a parasol drinking tea. No sunburns here. After a good hour and a half, we packed everything up and went back to the cars where everyone who swam had to shower. During that time, I waited at a shaded area with benches and got to soak in the view of the mountains and listen to the cicadas. 🖤

It was definitely time to eat, but a lot of local spots were just too small to take in 10 people. Eventually, we settled on Gusto lol (cheap family restaurant). I got omurice topped with stewed beef, and it surpassed all expectations! After, it was time to head back home. It was around 15:00, and it seems like we were either just lucky or overestimated how much traffic there’d be. I couldn’t help but pass out on the drive back… Kudos to the drivers. 😮‍💨

There was no way any cooking was going to happen after such an excursion, so takeout sushi was an easy choice for dinner. I need to stop taking Japan for granted sometimes. 😶‍🌫️ It was exceptional, and so affordable. The sleep I had that night? Also exceptional. 🫶