School Festival (Photos)

So for the past week or so we have been preparing for the Yotsubasai (Clover Festival) which is an open event that happens at most Japanese high schools (the festival I mean, not the Yotsubasai, that is just my school) that display class food shops and other fun activities. Since my school is a performance school there was dances, skits, musicals and musical performances. My class had a Discotheque, which for whatever reason had nothing to do with a Discotheque it was just us performing. I am absolutely amazed by the work that energy the students put into school festivals; arriving at school for 7:45 and not leaving until about 9 at night, practising every chance they can, and just thinking and talking about things they can do for it! There is certainly nothing of this calibre in North America. So with everyone I had to do the same. It was so exhausting! But the festival was so much fun! The thing with Japanese schools is that not only do they clean the school as for lack of janitors but they also organize everything by themselves. What to do, where to do it and setting it up! They even did the lightning for the stage which they built. All. By. Themselves. I was basically blown away.
So the festival was on Saturday and Sunday, so we didn't get a weekend (but now it is Tuesday and we have it off, along with Wednesday) and so now everyone is exhausted. I was asking my classmates what they were going to do on the holidays and all of they just said "sleep". My friend and I performed "Sora Iro Days" the theme song for the anime Gurren Lagann. It was so much fun! We did a mini cosplay as well. I was Yoko and my friend was Simon. A lot of people watched so it was a little embarrassing but I could totally do it for a living (that is huge pipe dream of mine). There was ballet performances, jazz dances, hip hop, Japanese traditional dances... all choreographed by the students! Once again, my mind is blown.

 

After everyone had performed the last dance (Japanese dance), so many of my classmates were crying and I couldn't understand why. I kept asking people but all the replied with was that they were happy. Oh well. On the last day of the festival (Sunday) there was performances in the school gym. It was a mini festival for just the students. I didn't stay around long because I wasn't feeling well but it was really fun looking and everyone was full of energy. On Monday we had to go to school again but it was to take down everything and clean. This was a shorter day but I still ended up staying at school until 3:00pm. After that I went out with some friends. All in all the festival was such a good experience. I want to do it again next year but sadly I will be back home.