yamaonna

well, yes, after all the build up Im finally going to tell you about sunday….  Im afraid its going to be a let down for some people…  had been meaning to write sooner, whilst I still had some excitement in me, but alas time got away…

so anyway, last sunday was the Aoba festival in Sendai.  It was the first time I’ve actually been to a big festival in japan (a little surprising) and I enjoyed myself emmensly!

I went into town a little early to take a look around.  At that time just the food stalls were operating, and people were getting ready for the parade (hence heaps of samarai marching around…  a little weird)  Since the parade started at 12 i decided to find somewhere to sit.

To my surprise, where I was sitting (which was near the final destination for the parade) they had entertainment on beforehand, so I got to see a display of edo-period firefighting skills, aka men hanging off ladders supported by a heap of other men…..

these guys were really quite brave, some of the stuff they did was really amazing.  (look mum, no hands!)

um, and then the parade began.  It started with a procession of important looking blokes in hakama and gi (you know, the old-style japanese clothes for men, kimono top and wide baggy pants).  I love hakama and gi, on a good looking guy they are quite sexy, and they even manage to make old, balding, fat guys look alright.

Following the peacocks (not real peacocks…. the important looking blokes i mean…) were the samarai, and a guy dressed up as Masamune Date –

this guy is sendai’s claim to fame, he made the town into his capital and essentially controled most of tohoku (north-easten japan), or so they would like you to think.  he is a pretty cool historical figure thou.

then there was the crazy monks, and the out of control shrine…

they kept running around like they were going to drop the thing, must have been hard, it looked heavy.

then the real fun began, with the floats and the suzume dancing.  The floats are all being pulled along by a heap of guys.  Each float was supported by a company.  JR’s looked horrid, cause it was so in your face that JR was the sponsor, the rest were sponsored in a more subtle way.  this one was my favourite –

not only is it just a float, but they also sing, dance and play traditional flutes and drums.  This was my favourite cause it was quite exciting.  the atomosphere was great!  they really got into there song, and the dancing was very energetic.

The dance is the suzume o-something….  basically the sparrow dance.  Its really cool cause they flash their fans about, and because they are different colors on each side, it really give the appearance of a sparrow flitting about.  and they do some really cool poses.  I  took heaps of video, so when i get back, ask to see it, its really cool!

and of couse I cant finished with out mentioning the stalls – its amazing what you can get on a stick in japan…  chicken, beef, rice balls, hot dogs, strawberrys and my personal favourite – bananas…..  my lunch consisted of okonomiyaki (on a stick) and a snow cone (some things are universal, that and fairy floss…)

and it was also good to see other traditional stalls for festivals – like the goldfish store, where you have to catch your own  (come to think of it, we have this at the ekka too dont we….)

all and all, a great day!

happy now folks?  just quickly before i go to dinner tonight, went to the sendai muesum today – real samarai suits are scairy….  all dark and forboding….. brrrrrrrr…..