'Party-At-The-Family-Tomb' Day + Aquatic Trip

Around this time of the year the Japanese celebrate Obon /Festival of the Dead/ or as I like to call it 'Party-At-Your-Family-Tomb' Day. During this festival, whole families ranging in size from five to thirty people visit their ohaka /family tomb/ to honour their dead ancestors in a mix of Buddhist tradition and Chinese ancestor-worship. This usually entails a day for cleaning the area, a duty performed by the family's oldest son and often three generations of elder sons will participate. The women, in the meantime, prepare a feast for a family picnic. Somehow the division of work seems a little gender biased but that just might be my Westernized view at work. However, parts of the tradition have evolved with the times with families pitching tents and even barbeque-ing in true camp+picnic fashion.

Personally I think it's a great tradition and a much more poignant way of remembering the dead. I mean sure we could all cry, bow our heads--- have dinner with those moments of awkward silence and the kids sliding sideways glances at each other because they don't know how to behave--- but I think all that really does is emphasize the empty space where that person used to be. 'Party-At-Your-Family-Tomb' Day seems to be more about remembering that the dead thought not physically there, are still a part of the family. And the gathering is a way to thank the ancestors for giving life to the present and the future. It's like saying, "Here we are! We're all happy and doing well. Thank you!" I mean, I'm not saying that I think there is something--- if anything--- after death but if there is I imagine the dead would want their families to think of them with fondness and happiness than with sorrow. But again... that's just me.

Drive down anywhere and you're sure to see stone tombs lining the roads. Apparently many tombs occupy 'prime' property--- on beach fronts facing the ocean or the top of hills. Ironically in past times when these tombs were placed people had no way of protecting themselves from typhoons, and often the most dangerous places to live were near the water or on high ground. Now with more foreigners coming in and beach front property become popular, the old tombs are being relocated. I'm not sure if I find this strange or funny. Maybe a little of both.

Anyway, Laura, her brother Mike had graciously invited me to visit the aquarium with them and since hibernating in my apartment was getting old, I graciously accepted. The drive was a long one, the aquarium being on the other end of the island, but we made it down there with good humour.

Walking down to the aquarium the gardens have all sorts of sea creatures represented in topiary form. My favourite was the sea turtle with the baby turtle on it's back (pictures on facebook). Inside I was pondering whether to get the one-day pass or the season pass which is twice the price of the one-day but you can go as many times as you want. I ultimately got the one-day pass, but in retrospect it would've been worth it to get the season pass. Oh well... live and learn.

Walking around inside, some things were familiar, the little eels and clown fish for example; but there were a lot of things I'd never seen before, like the bioluminescent deep-sea fish (very cool!) or the GIANT lobsters which were pretty much the biggest lobster I've ever seen. They also have a "Shark Research" section with cool facts about sharks and some really icky stuffed shark models. The thing with the biggest ew-factor though was the live shark-egg sacks. You could see the fetus shark squirming around inside. It was like driving by a train-wreck--- I wanted to look away but couldn't help staring in a sort of morbid fascination.

Churami has (supposedly) the biggest aquarium tank in the world--- and I can believe it!! Their large tank holds two huge whale-sharks, two full grown manta rays as well as hundreds of smaller, different species of rays. different species of sharks and fish also inhabit the big tank. It was amazing, and very popular as well--- the place was packed, wall to wall and I you really had to push your way through or shuffle with the crowd. You really had to watch out for the grannies though, that's some fierce elbow action there. In a genius marketing plan they designed a restaurant/cafe right next to the big tank and luckily Laura, Mike and I were able to find a table right next to the tank! (A few inches of glass separating us from a whole lot of water and fish. Eek!) We had lunch there (and shot of a lot of really nice pictures) and I had my first ever taco rice, a popular combination of taco topping on white rice. It was tasty but very bizarre.

Although Churami Aquarium is only one section of the vast Ocean Side Park, which includes beaches, gardens, museums and even a butterfly zoo, it really is worth a full day's visit. I hope I get the chance to go there again and check out some of the other sights--- probably when dad comes to visit! They also have an outdoor section with a dolphin pool where they have shows (it started raining so we didn't stay for that) as well as a turtle enclosure-- SO CUTE!! Anyway, Even though I've been to aquariums elsewhere, I'm still fascinated by what I see and in my opinion Churami really is one of the best!