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the annual harvest festival in ikeda-machi is definitely something to see. first, you have a big dinner (i was lucky enough to be invited to my friend ayako's house, and it was a FEAST.) then you go to see the butai. each neighborhood has it's own butai (the picture is of my neighborhood, 3 chome's butai). a butai is kind of a mobile shrine. at the top of 3 chome's is ame, the rain goddess. jr high kids play taiko on the lower level, while the young men (between 18 and 25) drink a lot of sake and rine on the very top levels. the older men pull the butai through the streets. there are 7 butai in all. the later it gets, and more sake people drink, the crazier it gets, as all the butai head for hachiman shrine. one of them almost tipped over at one point, because they tried to take a corner too fast, and yes, that is real flame inside the paper lanterns. abunai desu nei!!!. there is loads of chanting and shouting and taiko, and it just a really good time.... |
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