My attention was suddenly arrested by sounds coming from a ... the best way I can describe it is a spare bit of space. Not quite a park or green area, just flat and somewhat shady. In any case, it seems that some local bands had come to play a bit o' music, maybe drum up some publicity and sell some CDs. That was a nice surprise, I just stuck around to listen to one band (whose name escapes me), they had a interesting mix of screechyness and catchy rhythm - if they find their sound a bit better they could go far, says I!
The afternoon sun was beating down; I was starting to consider turning around and making for home, but I thought I should look at some more shops and at least see the Nagoya TV Tower (oldest TV Tower in Japan), so I wondered toward Central Park. How glad I am that I did! For there was a festival being held, in which representatives from across the land had come to sell their local cuisine, demonstrate local traditional dances, and generally promote whichever prefecture they came from. There were lots of brightly-coloured stalls, flags and costumes all around. It very much reminded me of the country fairs and markets back in England, which I think I may like to make better use of when I return. I'd always thought of those affairs as being very English, but it turns out they're also very Japanese. Perhaps gathering together to show off what your home can produce is an international, human trait?
