The Nagoya Festival is next Saturday and Sunday, but we had our neighborhood festival last Sunday. I went to help in the morning, and it was a lot of fun. We blocked off part of the street for children to play. It was a good chance to meet and talk to my neighbors. My neighborhood is changing. The old houses are disappearing, and new apartment buildings are going up. Although I miss the old houses, I’m happy to see more children in the neighborhood. After everyone arrived, some adults and the children went around the neighborhood carrying a portable shrine and chanting “Wa-shoi, wa-shoi” We stopped at the local shrine to pray. There, they gave us refreshments. The children got snacks, and the adults got tea or sake to drink.  (130 words)