Japanese yo-yo (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Japanese yo-yos)

I looked online, but can't figure out what these are called in Japanese. They're basically small water balloons with elastic string tied to them so that you can bounce them up & down like a yo-yo.

The colorful balloons are apparently very popular attractions at summer-time festivals in Japan.
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Japanese yo-yos

Japanese yo-yos are colorful water balloons with an elastic string tied around it so that you can bounce them up and down like a yo-yo. They're very popular at matsuri in Japan and can be found sometimes at Japanese-style festivals and carnivals here in the U.S.

I don't know what they're called in Japanese and my attempts to look it up online proved fruitless. If anyone knows what they're called, please comment and let me know.

This photo was taken at the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets. The Torrance store especially seems to cater to the workers from the local major Japanese businesses (Toyota, Honda, etc) and others from Japan.

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

Oni mask (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - oni mask)

This was one of the plastic masks they had. It's of an oni, a Japanese folklore character.
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - oni mask

This is a plastic oni mask that was for sale at the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets.

Oni are mythical creatures of Japanese folklore. To learn about oni, check Wikipedia's oni page. See some of the other masks they had for sale: Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Japanese masks

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

Hello Kitty mask (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Hello Kitty mask)

Hello Kitty looks a bit bewildered as she finds herself in mask form. She was one of the several Sanrio characters they had. Others I noticed were My Melody (you can see part of her ear in the photo) and Lala of Little Twin Stars.

They made feel very nostalgic as I recalled the many trips to the Sanrio store that my sister and I made over the years of our childhood. I was tempted to buy a My Melody mask, but I resisted the urge...

=)
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Hello Kitty mask

This is a plastic Hello Kitty mask that was for sale at the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets.

Like many young Japanese Americans girls growing up in the '70s and '80s, my sister and I were very much into Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, My Melody, and Little Twin Stars. Although I was tempted to buy one, I resisted the urge. =)

See some of the other masks they had for sale: Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Japanese masks

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

Japanese masks (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Japanese masks)

In addition to the food, there were also some Japanese toys for sale, including an assortment of plastic masks. It was interesting to see characters from Japanese folklore mixed in with Sanrio characters and anime/comic book characters like Pikachu and Astro Boy. There were even non-Japanese children's characters like Spiderman and Thomas the Train.
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Japanese masks

These are plastic Japanese masks that were for sale at the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets.

It's interesting to see the variety of masks included...from traditional characters like oni, to Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty and My Melody, and then American characters like Spiderman.

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

ring toss game (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - ring toss game)

They had a couple of game booths. I just thought it was kind of funny that they used products from the store.

For this game, players toss rings at these columns which just happen to be candy containers, Ramune bottles, and tonkatsu sauce bottles.

Another game had people shooting toy guns with plastic arrows at candy and assorted other little products to win prizes.

All in all, it looked like people had fun. Next year, we'll have to try and go earlier!

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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - ring toss game

This photo is of the ring toss game pieces at the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets.

I thought it was kind of funny that they used products from the store as the columns that you toss the rings around, including ramune and tonkatsu sauce bottles.

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

paper lanterns (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - lanterns)

These festive lanterns welcomed us as we drove towards the parking lot. The natsu matsuri was held in the area above the parking structure next to the side entrance to the market.

This photo is actually from the back. The tent got in the way, so I was going to try another the shot from another angle, but forgot after finishing our food.
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - lanterns

This photograph of the colorful paper lanterns is from the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets. The Torrance store especially seems to cater to the workers from the local major Japanese businesses (Toyota, Honda, etc) and others from Japan.

I took the photo from the back, so the tent got in the way a little bit. I was going to try again from a different angle, but forgot. Maybe next time! =)

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

okonomiyaki (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Okonomiyaki)

Their version included squid, shrimp, and pork in addition to cabbage. It was all mixed into the batter. The okonomiyaki sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, ao nori, and bonito flakes went on top.

It was very tasty and filling, but I still prefer the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki that I grew up with! =)
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Okonomiyaki

This is the okonomiyaki from the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets.

They were marketing the okonomiyaki as a Japanese style pizza. Their version had squid, shrimp, and pork in it. There's also cabbage all mixed into a batter. It's topped with okonomiyaki sauce (similar to tonkatsu sauce, but I think a little sweeter), kewpie mayonnaise, ao nori, and bonito flakes.

Since my mother's family is from Hiroshima-ken, I grew up eating Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. It's one of my favorite foods. This one was really good, but still doesn't compare to the ones we make at home. =)

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

okonomiyaki booth (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Okonomiyaki booth)

We were hungry, so we quickly scanned the food booths. We purchased one order of okonomiyaki from this booth.

Their signage touted it as a Japanese-style pizza. That's not how I would describe it, but it was good.
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Okonomiyaki booth

This was the okonomiyaki booth at the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets.

By the time we stopped by, the festival was winding down. Several things were already sold out, but we were able to buy an okonomiyaki. They were marketing the okonomiyaki as a Japanese style pizza. Their version had squid, shrimp, and pork in it.

You can see the actual okonomiyaki here: Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - Okonomiyaki

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335

BBQ Beef Rice Bowl (Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - BBQ beef bowl)

They were barbecuing the beef on a grill at the booth. Pretty good quality meat, and a light sauce made for a good bowl.

My husband and I shared a "bowl" (it was actually in one of those square styrofoam take-out containers) and one okonomiyaki for our dinners.
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Mitsuwa Natsu Matsuri - BBQ beef bowl

This is a photo of my BBQ Beef Rice Bowl at the Natsu Matsuri outdoor event at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, California on July 22, 2007. Mitsuwa is a chain of Japanese markets.

By the time we stopped by, the festival was winding down. Several things were already sold out, and they were finishing up barbecuing the beef at the booth. The beef was yummy!

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 South Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
310.782.0335