灯籠流し TŌRŌ NAGASHI

[tokyodisa]

Who: Everybody!
What: Tokyo Day Seven: lantern floating ceremony
When: Monday, 22/July -- evening
Where: Along the Sumida River
Rating: pretty x2

If you're outside tonight, you may see lights floating along the river that runs through Tokyo.

Upon closer inspection, you'll see that they're thousands of paper lanterns set adrift in small boats. Some of the lanterns are painted in bright, colorful designs, and some have names and messages written on them. Some are plain, but they're just as beautiful. In the wider parts of the river, there are even people rowing boats with oversized lanterns inside of them, mimicking the smaller, floating lanterns.

There are some vendors on the street who can sell you the materials to make your own. Or you can simply watch and enjoy.

[Learn more about the ceremony here and watch videos here. No sections this time, just mingle. :) This is the last Tokyo log -- it'll transform back to the castle grounds at midnight.]

Comments

[unvarnished]

It can be a dangerous place. You could get lost for a long time without anyone finding you. There are witches and trolls, and of course with Regina around you weren't ever really safe.

I didn't get to see all of the Forest when I was there as a child, but I probably saw more than most kids. Parts of the forest, the sea, and of course Snow White and Prince Charming's castle.

[wolfchild]

[ at the mention of snow white and prince charming her lip curls. ]

No grumpkins and snarks?

[unvarnished]

No, nothing like that. I'm guessing those are creatures from your world.

[wolfchild]

A made-up story to scare children and the craven.

[unvarnished]

All stories come from somewhere, Arya. It might have changed by the time you heard it, but there could very well be a grain of truth in your stories.

Either way, I'd love to hear about it if you're willing to tell me.

[wolfchild]

There's naught to tell. Old Nan would tell us they'd steal us away if we misbehaved. I never believed her.

[ and seeing as she remained in winterfell, it wasn't true. ]

[unvarnished]

So there are stories like that in every world. [he keeps his eyes on the lantern, watching its light as it drifts on the water]

[wolfchild]

It's no surprise. Everyone scares children into behaving.

[ and when they're grown too. so long as hot pie was afraid of her, he would do what she said, no matter how scared of doing it he was. ]

[unvarnished]

It didn't really work that well on me. I still misbehaved... a lot. We all did. Guess some things are stronger than fear.

[wolfchild]

Yes, but you're old.

[unvarnished]

[that gets him to laugh] But I'm a believer.

[wolfchild]

[ she makes a face ]

What has that to do with anything?

[unvarnished]

Everything. You should know. You hang out with Henry, don't you?

[wolfchild]

[ she rolls her eyes. ]

He sleeps with me sometimes. What do you think?

[unvarnished]

I think that after being around him, you'd know a little something about believing. It's because of him that the curse broke. He believed in my book, he believed in Emma, and it's that belief that saved the day.

[wolfchild]

Belief is childish. All it does is make you hope for something you won't get.

[ trauma conga line >>>>>>>>>>>>>> henry's cuteness. ]

[unvarnished]

[that kind of sounds like something Emma would say. Which might be why August smiles despite Arya's less than cheerful outlook]

Then I guess it's a good thing I don't hope to ever leave Paradisa, since I wouldn't get it anyway.

[wolfchild]

You've been here longer than I thought.

[ yes, she was betting on him to disappear months ago. she is actually terrible. ]

[unvarnished]

Are you disappointed? [he clearly doesn't mind that she expected him to leave. It's sort of his signature move]

[wolfchild]

[ her matter-of-fact tone belies the meanness of her words. ]

I don't care. You're not my friend.

[unvarnished]

You must care about something, or you wouldn't ask me questions.

[wolfchild]

I don't have to care to ask questions.

[unvarnished]

Okay, Arya. [he'll let it go so they can watch the lanterns in peace]