Phoenix Matsuri Festival

Every year for the last several years, I’ve gone to the Matsuri Festival, the festival of Japanese Culture. It takes place in downtown Phoenix at Heritage Square behind the Arizona Science Center. It’s gotten slightly bigger every year and includes not only booths to buy anime, Japanese t-shirts, Asian traditional clothing, toys, etc. but also pan-Asian food, educational booths about Asian Americans, Buddhism, calligraphy and so much more. There are also Japanese dancers. And Japanese dog breeds. Japanese flower arrangements and bansai trees. So much Japanese culture!

The first day, Saturday, I went on my own. I just wanted to get out of the house and also to take it all in. Wandering around, I was not disappointed in the festival as this year was just as good as other years. I knew I shouldn’t be spending money, but I bought myself a t-shirt from Sumofish, hoping to replace my lost Tofu Robot shirt *sniff sniff* and also a Fat Rabbit Farm t-shirt. I look at Fat Rabbit Farm shirts every year but never buy one. They’re so cubby yet can pass as just vaguely anime or Japanese enough to not look too childish. I figured it was the year to finally buy one:

After spending all that money, I felt like I should escape. Not to mention that the crowd was getting thick and it was already 83 degrees—in February! Before leaving, though, I saw a group of traditional Japanese dancers and I was mesmerized for several minutes. I decided I’d have to come back the next day for sure.

I did go back, and this time I took your tail. That’s right, you read correctly…you weren’t even there and yet I took your tail! Hehe—I wore your wolf tail. It was a big hit and people loved the mouse although I’m sure they wondered if I was a furry (there were lots there including suiters!) or some anime character they didn’t recognize but that their otaku pride wouldn’t allow them to admit not knowing. Sorry for stealing your tail like that, but it was lots of fun and people even took pictures of it!

The day I took your tail, I was with Rayne and Mystic. We met Sada there, along with her disgustingly cute baby. We wandered and met up with other furries, including Kaynhine who hung out with us. Afterwards, Mystic and I went and saw the Lego movie. It was awesome, of course. Everything was made even more awesome by the fact that Mystic gave me an Aww So Cute. It was like Taco Tuesday, only on a Friday—in my pants!

It was a fun-filled, yet non-stressful weekend. I wanted you to be there so badly. Not that it’s been that long since I saw you, but still. You would’ve loved it. Maybe you’ve gone before, I don’t remember, but I think it would be something you’d enjoy. I bought you a souvenir while I was there because I was thinking of you and because I love you. @(^_^)@ <3 p="">