This morning was Owen and Annie’s kindergarten school’s annual seikatsu hapyokai. Each class performs some sort of a play that includes costumes, scenery, acting, and songs. Usually the children start practicing daily a good month or two prior to the performance day. Unfortunately for Annie and Owen, they didn’t have that luxury! Even though they came back to school a day after returning to Japan, they both came down with the serious influenza and were each out of school for a week.
Still, with only a few day’s rehearsal under their belt, we were so proud of both of them! We had a lot of chuckles… after just coming back from the U.S. it was hard not to compare the more formal, serious nature of Owen and Annie’s Christmas program in the U.S. (below left) with the cutesyness and all-out effort at our Japanese kindergarten (below right). We are thankful that our children have been able to have both experiences and so much fun doing them.
Annie’s class did the story of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad wolf. Of course, there were some alterations, like the hippos (Annie and a efw friends) who helped the pigs do the building.
Here is a short video composite of Annie’s performance:
One of my mom friend’s and I were overcome with giggles when one of the piggy’s hats (i.e. shower caps) kept bunching up her face so that she couldn’t open her eyes…
Owen’s class did a Japanese children’s story called the Blue Bird. Owen was a demon (Nice children’s story, you might think…)..and later came out as a wolf.
Here’s a short composite of Owen’s performance:
It was a long morning (Annie’s play was the very first; Owen’s was the very last), but a lot of fun and chance to catch up with friends we haven’t seen since coming back. We were so thankful that Megumi could be with us, too…
While we were waiting at one point, one of the moms came to get us and warn us that Olivia was walking around… in the toilet slippers –A big taboo in this country…(Photo left- Annie and Olivia wearing the slippers the right way IN the bathroom; right — the wrong way).
After the performances, we went out with our friends the S. family from Owen’s class to our favorite Japanese buffet restaurant…where you can make your own cotton candy… What better way to end a fun day?
So tell us – who do you think is cuter wearing the hippo hat?
The Takameter 
Hard to say who looks best in the hippo hat.
Our 23-year old told us over Christmas that for one yochien performance they were to make the wrap around hats–and the story was about mean cats, so she made her cat REALLY MEAN looking, much to her teacher’s dismay. The next day the class came in and they all had new cat hats–made identically–by the teacher.
Looking forward to seeing you in a few days at Karuizawa!
How ADORABLE are those performances? That is what makes Kindergarten so much fun! And as for who is cuter in the hat, man, that is a CLOSE ONE!!! Too close to call!!!
I think it is a tie between Eric and Annie being the cutest wearing the hippo hat. They are both too cute! Being that I was Owen’s American Kindergarten teacher, I never viewed our Thanksgiving production as being overly serious. We were singing praises to God. But, I have to admit, the two productions by Owen and Annie were precious. They remind me of what our Preschool productions in the U.S.A. are like. How cute and fun! Thanks for sharing!
Hahaha!! I love it, both your hippos are very cute, but maybe the little one on the left is a wee bit cuter, ka na? The bigger one on right is definitely funnier though. 🙂