Osaka experienced much action and tourism this weekend, as hot and drizzly as it was. At least two festivals took place within a reasonable distance from Hirakata City: the Danjiri Festival in Kishiwada as well as the Eisa Festival in Taisho.
This first photo is from the Danjiri Festival, a Shinto tradition where handcrafted floats are pulled at full speed by hundreds of people through the narrow streets, Shinto shrines as the destination. Though the shutter speed on my digital camera is rather inadequate, I like the photo above because of its blurry human figures against a clear background. It seems to capture the chaos and excitement of the lines of Japanese youth heaving these floats through town. They're an integral part of what makes this tradition happen every year but most spectators keep their focus on the floats instead.
(More information on Danjiri)
A grown man demonstrating how to carry and move with the flags during this particular Okinawan group's performance. The colors of the costumes attracted my camera initially, but I also enjoyed witnessing the wide range of age groups represented in the festival as a whole. Many children played key roles in the dance and drum performances, showing dedication to familial and regional traditions. Or maybe they just wanted to wear zebra print pants.
1 comment:
Nice photos and text. I wonder if you might want to include links so that readers can get further info about these festivals. Remember, be linky...
-scf
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