the fourth day of july

Do you know that riddle, “Is there a July 4th in Japan?” to which little children and people who aren’t thinking clearly reply, “I don’t think so,” and then feel stupid when the answer is “Of course, July 4th comes right after July 3rd.”

I was thinking about how Americans celebrate July 4th when they are not in America. Particularly, how did I celebrate last year in Japan? In Kyoto there are inevitably a few groups of Americans who gather by the river to set off fireworks, but if you didn’t know they were celebrating Independence Day, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them and the other groups of Japanese doing the same activity on a lovely summer evening.

There are probably barbeques, since that has become the all-American way of celebrating a holiday, no matter the country. But in Japan there would be no burgers, hot dogs, or baked beans, and a lot more vegetables than in the US. Last year I went to the celebration hosted by the Consulate General of Osaka, and although there was some Sam Adams to quench my thirst, the menu was more like that of a cocktail party or a fancy reception than a Fourth of July get-together.

This year, since the Fourth falls on a weekday, everyone I know celebrated early. I went up to Winona Lake in Warsaw to hang out with my friend Jill on Sunday, introducing Mayo to a large American family gathering complete with card games and fights over who washes the dishes. Yesterday, we took my grandmother to the Botanical Gardens and then had a little cookout with my grandparents. It’s not a Meyer cookout without a relish tray.

Today, the actual Fourth, we will probably do nothing. A little shopping, a little lounging, and then we shall begin the age-old debate: to brave the crowds for a good spot for the fireworks, or not.