The highlight of my trip, and the thing I enjoyed the most, hands down would have to be the Festival that was on during our stay. My home stay family, The Nakayama Family, gave me an early taste of what I was going to experience. I was given the extreme honor to wear the dance outfit of my family's community team. I then participated in the collection of donations for the team. How they do so is, they go through the community on their float and dance. Months of work are put into this, through practice, preparation of the float, and the making of uniforms. I was allowed to be a part of this, and I loved every minute of it. Going out at nine am on a Sunday, learning the dance, and just having a good time was great.. What I loved most about this whole thing, beside the great time and amazing environment was the sense of togetherness, and how an entire community can come together and do their part, whether it be through being on the team, or just giving a donation. It was simply amazing, and I loved every minute of it, and definitely will not forget it.
Then came the festival itself, the night inside during the typhoon, and the next night out parading. Even inside during the rains, there was this amazing atmosphere, an unexplainable sense of an entire city coming together and showing off what each community can do. I loved dancing with City Hall's team, just being out there on the floor trying your hardest not to mess up, and doing a dance we had only practiced for 2 days. It was an amazing feeling to hear the applause when we had finished, and feel as if we had been accepted into the community. Then, with the next day came the real deal, being out in the streets, visiting the shops and experiencing the pre-parade festivities. Then as dusk rolled in, seeing each team's float, being put on a float, experiencing going off the float and dancing with the team, was truly amazing. Everything else was great about being part of this trip, but this just topped it off.
The people in Murayama are hospitable, nice, courteous, and just plain good people. The hospitality that everyone had, to help make our trip as good as it was, was great. Everyone tried to make us as comfortable as possible and did so much for us. I don't think words can express my thanks. Everyone who we came into contact with, whether it was on the streets, at a restaurant, in a shrine, or a store, just made us feel so much better and so accepted. For that I give my thanks a million times over, but that may not be enough. Everyone was so nice, but I have to say that the Nakayama Family, with whom I was given the pleasure to stay for three days, was by far the best of all. They went beyond the call of duty to make my three days with them the best three days of the trip. I just had an amazing time, they showed me their Japan, and I loved it. I truly am lucky to have been with them for my home stay, and I don't think anyone else could have shown me a better time.
I had an amazing time while in Muriyama, and Tokyo, and as much as I wish I could go back there, I have to face reality that the odds of me getting back there anytime soon will be very slim. But the trip and its experiences truly made an impact on my life, I will never forget. When I do travel again, Japan will be tops on the "A" list of places to see, again.

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