Hello everyone!
My name is Caroline from Germany, and even though I am introducing myself for the first time here, it is already my 5th of 6 month here at the beautiful Kannonyama Farm. As a rather long-term intern, I was happy to experience and be part of the whole process with every little stage or step that happens in this company before the product arrives at the costumer. Starting from planting the trees, preparing the watering system, over picking the fruits, preparing them for customers or the farther process of making them into jelly, juice, dry fruits etc., to packing and arrange them before the package is closed and ready to get picked up.
Next to all the amazing work experience, the chances to explore the culture and different places around are given very, very often. So let me tell you about our last trip:
In the end of June, beginning of July, we had the chance to take a little break from cutting grasses and visit one of Osaka’s famous summer festivals: The Aizen Festival. Therefore, the mother of a boy we are teaching English at the moment in our house, invited us to show us around there and, the best part, to dress us in a real yukata. (Yukata are traditional, Japanese cloths, kind of like the summer version of a kimono.) It was a first experience for all of us and we were more than excited. Even our hair was done, so that in the end we all looked very traditional and ready for the festival.
After arriving, we were pretty overwhelmed by so many food carts with pretty much every Japanese food you could imagine. We even tried the “Hashimaki”, Okonomiyaki rolled around chopsticks. Everything was so full of colours and people having fun, it was a very nice atmosphere. I even had the chance to ride a Japanese palanquin, or better I was hopping around. J I am not sure what it was for, but it was very fun and quite an experience, even though the men needed a little break after lifting me. 😀
After running around and taking pictured we finished our day at an “Izakaya”, a Japanese restaurant where you can also order a variety of different food.
It was a wonderful day with the best surprise at the end:
we received the yukatas as a present to take home! 🙂
