Inuyama and Takayama Matsuri Sep-Oct
Hello again, its been a while. I am yet again down on my updates, but thankfully I have a full day of no classes. Yey! Recently Japan has became very very very cold. But just before it changed to the freezing weather it is now, I managed to see a few festivals.
Japan is huge on festivals. Every weekend there is usually some sort of festival happening in Japan. In September, Rin, Laura, Rae and I decided to go to Takayama in Gifu prefecture to see the end of the Takayama festival. This festival has been voted as number 2 in the ranking of best festivals...apparently. As we were going to the end of the festival then we didnt get to see the full thing, but in a way that was good.
We got up early and we headed in the car up to Takayama. It took us about 3 hours to get there.
Matsuri Lanterns means Matsuri! (Matsuri = Festival in Japanese)
Down by the river in Takayama. We walked through all the back streets in Takayama city to end up in the old section of the city.
First off, some sake frozen slushie type things! Absolutly yummy.
Yum yum.
Before picture time at the River. We met up with Sally on the way.
Pet peev of being a foreigner in Japan. Random Japanese people taking pictures of you because you look different. This above gentleman was of no exception. So I decided to turn the camera on him and see if he liked it.
This was one of the Mikoshi's that the main festival was about. A Mikoshi is a small portable shrine. There was about 20 of these things and they were huge.
After looking at the parades we went and saw a small puppet show. Although the puppet show was very far away so we couldnt actually see it...it was kind of interesting.
This puppet show was special because the puppets used acrobatics.
Then we headed to see a parade through the streets where some of the townsfolk were dressed as olden day people. It was very very crowded.
Then it was chilling on the riverside before heading back to Gifu.
Me, Sally, Joshua, Jason, Rae and Laura.
It overall was a very very nice day. Maybe next year I might go and check out the festival in all its glory.
Next week we went to the Inuyama festival in Inuyama, Aichi prefecture.
It was the first time that I had been to Inuyama so Laura and I ran up to the castle to check it out while we still could.
Inuyama castle.
The views from the castle.
Always love the red gates at the castles.
The foxes at the castle were very cool.
Then it was time to wait about for the lantern festival to start.
Whilst waiting we had some Potato Tornado's. Theses are amazing pieces of potato deep friend and rolled in different flavours.
The lanterns were filled hand by hand. Around 1000 of them
Then the floats were carted through the street people were under the floats and pulling them through the streets.
In each of the floats there was small children with lights riding and playing the drums in procession.
The children were really cute.
Afterwards we headed back and had a few drinks in Gifu.
The Inuyama festival was very very cool though, the people carrying the lights stopped after a while to enjoy some beers and rest, it was pretty surreal but enjoyable.