Every year today, we celebrate Tanabada Festival in Japan. People write down their wishes on small pieces of paper and tie them on bamboos. Don’t ask me why, but it’s just what we do.
This festival is actually from China, like almost everything else in the Japanese culture. The story is about a princess, hey, don’t go away! Come back, please!
Anyway, it’s a very romantic story, and today is the only day in the whole year when the princess gets to reunite with the prince. In China, people consider today their traditional Valentine’s Day.
We all know the "real" Valentine’s Day was cooked up by the ancient Romans and later reintroduced by the businessmen in the West. And now it is firmly embraced by the festival loving Japanese.
I still remember I was quite bitter about it this year, so I gave all my single girlfriends the following advice:
Valentine ideas for single girls
-- Book a nude photo shoot with the most handsome male photographer in town
-- Drink lots of champagne and then make chocolate with your girl pals
-- Buy yourself expensive lingerie
-- Skype your ex-es one by one in the above-mentioned lingerie
...
Now, is Valentine’s Day really about love? Some of my friends have started calling me “Dr. Love, “ despite my objection. Actually I much prefer the name “Professor Usagi.” And in case you still have no idea what usagi means in Japanese. Well, it means rabbit. So yeah, that makes me Professor Bunny, I suppose.
But I am definitely not “Dr. Love.” I am still a student of love myself! And I really don’t understand what Valentine’s Day is for. Why don’t we just rename it Chocolate Day? It’s much more appropriate anyway!
