Bon Odori 2010 (Japanese Dance Festival) (PIcs under cut)
We went to the Bon Odori Festival 2010 at the Wachovia Atrium and Plaza in Uptown Charlotte yesterday.
Me and my kids in Wachovia Plaza. The festival was being held in the building behind us. The two tents to the right housed food,drinks and a ring toss for the kids.
These two pics of are"Matsuriza", which translates as "Festival of Drumming". This group was formed in 1983 and they play traditional Japanese music, including taiko drumming. Those really huge drums are taiko drums. The group is based in Orlando,Fl. In the pic on the left, one of the members does a solo. In the pic on the right, there are two drummers (you can't see the second guy because of the taiko), at stage front, and the other drummers are behind them. Other members of the group wear the red, white and blue robes.The guy in the 2nd pic in the black and white kimono is the master of ceremonies. My son Michael (who's autistic) really loved the drums and was jumping up and down to the beat. Everyone around was pretty amused by it.
Center pavilion. Note the red and white lanterns and the taiko drum up there.
Examples of items used Boys' Day. Families with sons fly koi kites. The day is also called "Tango no sekku" (Dragon Boat Festival) and Children's Day (Kodomo no Hi)
Japanese dolls (hina-ningyo) on display as they would be for Hinamatsuri (Girls Day) on March 3. The dolls represent the Emperor, Empress, and their court during the Heian period (c. 784-1185 AD)
Kimono and parasol, and different kinds of fabric on display. There's a Kimono club in Greensboro, NC, which is about an hour north of Charlotte. I don't have a kimono, but I'd love to have one someday.
The table for Smith Academy's Japanese Program. Smith Language Academy is a magnet school for languages in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese and Russian are taught there. I'm glad Charlotte has a school like this.
The Charlotte Kendo club was also represented at the Festival. Kendo ("ken"=sword, "do"=way of, literally translated "the way of the sword"). I talked with Sensei Ken Strawn. He's a 5th dan black belt and he's wearing the bogu (armor) used in kendo. Strawn-sensei is wearing the do (breastplate) and the tare (the skirt-like belt around his waist). At the lower right corner of the pic, is part of the helmet (men) and on the right are the wooden bamboo swords (shinai). Don't let the bamboo swords fool you--one good whack from those things HURT, which is why you have to wear armor. Not pictured are the kote, the heavy padded gloves you wear when handling a shinai.
Wooden toys. Wanage is the ring toss. Daruma-otoshi is that cylinder-like thing on the right that's a puzzle you put together. And there are three "cup and ball" toys in the front. I used to be able to catch the ball on the point; now I'm not so coordinated. Arthritic hands don't help either
There was a tea ceremony (cha-no-yu) that I missed, photo ops with the option of wearing a kimono, crafts, calligraphy, free reading materials in Japanese, travel brochures and maps (I picked up a map of Kyoto, "The Walking City). Sushi, candy (including a chocolate/coffee taffy thing that I tried. I guess it's an acquired taste? :-/) , teriyaki and mochi. Didn't get to stay long because the kids started to melt down, but I really enjoyed my time here. I've always been interested in Japanese culture and cuisine and I'm glad I went.