Hentona Matsuri

Before the festival we went out for Sushi at a Sushi-Go-Round.

Here is a rare chance to see me on my own blog!

We briefly stopped to look at the sun set and enjoy the scenery and then...

...it was on to the festival! Through the magic of time lapse photography it looks much brighter than it actually was. The sun was down and it was completely dark when we arrived.

Here is one of the booths at the fair. You could buy fair food or go play games to try and win prizes.

Our first musical entertainment was a folk group. The music was twangy and like a cross between Hawaiian and Country Western.

Some of the instruments would not be found in an American country western band!

You can't tell from the photo, but this child is wearing light-up demon ears.

The crowd enjoyed dancing to the music including that man on the far left who was definitely more than a few sheets to the wind. He eventually got up on stage to dance and security tried to catch him at which point he fell off and then eventually was helped up and ambled away. I was surprised at the solicitude with which he was treated. He was taken care of by the crowd and not laughed at nor scolded.

These girls were so cute in their festival wear.

This was our MC - all dressed up in a Shisa (Lion-dog protector) mask.

There was a variety of entertainment including quizzes for the children so that they could win prizes. (Like knowing their colors in English.) There was also this boy band that sang sentimental songs and played the Sanshin. (It sounded very much like American banjo music actually.)

Then we got to see and hear the Eisa drumming.

The drummers were fantastic!

They were also accompanied by lovely dancers from the school.

Some of us needed to get a closer view of the goings on!

This gentleman seemed to do crane style (dancing)!

At one point the crowd was beckoned up to join in with the drummers and dancers. The straw hat is a person impersonating a priest. This "priest" accompanied the dancers and danced in a drunken fashion with a big bottle of saki. His face is painted white so that we know he is a clown (and not a real priest.) We are reminded that we are all human with failings and the desire to celebrate.

At the end of the evening they had the festival Bon Odori or Bon dance. The festival is held to reassure the souls of departed ancestors so they can peacefully move on to the other world.

Firs the older women demonstrated on the stage and then we all danced in concentric circles.

Of course some people only watched.

It was a lovely festival and as we left we watched some fireworks in the sky.