Tokamachi Matsuri (Summer Festival)

Went to the Tokamachi Matsuri (Summer festival) in the evening with Dean (from Muikamachi). Tokamachi is a town on the other side of the mountain that my town is on. There are little stalls set up along the streets and lanterns strung up to create the celebratory mood (and there were fireworks of course). The highlight of the matsuri celebrations is the parading of portable shrines (mikoshi) around town all day. Each mikoshi weighs about 500kg (or so I was told) and is carried by around 30 men (some females too, but very few). They are elaborate gold shrines, probably made of solid gold which explains the weight. Not everyone can carry the mikoshi. You actually have to be "well-connected" in a way to sign up to carry the mikoshi. Each "shift" is about 2 hours long and I hear it's a back-breaking affair. One of the Tokamachi JETs, who carried the shrine in the afternoon, said it was heavy and even more difficult for him because he was taller than the average Japanese man. The climax of the festival is when the main mikoshi is carried into this temple on top of this hill which happens around 12 midnight.

Since we had some time, we went for dinner at a yakitori (skewered meat ala satay) restaurant, because most restaurants were closed for the celebrations or fully occupied. There, we met a friendly yakuza (Japanese mafia) guy who could speak English and recommended dishes for us to try. Well, I was told by the other JET that he was yakuza because his pinky was chopped off. We never asked him to confirm. Anyway, he sure acted like one. Dressed in a jacket on a hot Saturday evening when everyone was wearing yukatas or hapi coats and acted in a very flamboyant manner. But, he was very friendly. Poured us some "good" Australian white wine he had...so drink up lor!

Then we set off for the temple and met the whole gang of Tokamachi JETs! They were all dressed in yukatas and looked splendid! I wish I had a yukata to wear! We headed off with them and saw a number of mikoshi. The smaller ones were carried on the shoulders, like the ancient Chinese sedan chair. And the bigger ones were on wheels and pulled along with ropes. The bigger ones were usually accompanied by flute players and taiko drum beaters. Everyone was drunk and no one was walking straight, as early as 8pm! The men carrying the mikoshi were all definitely drunk judging by the way the mikoshi veered dangerously from the left to the right and almost toppling over at several points. It was like Wong Fei Hung's drunken fist fighting skill. I almost got ran down a number of times. Those who were not so agile ended up being trampled upon. I was told by one of the Japanese ladies that half of the men carrying the mikoshi want to bring it up to the temple to put an end to their agony and the other half wanted to continue having fun. So the mikoshi went up and down the streets near the temple in completely random directions until nearly midnight when the carriers were probably told to stop their nonsense and carry it up the temple.

Then the mikoshi proceeded in a very sedate manner up the hill and into the temple complex. There were cheers and hoisting of the mikoshi in a jubilant way. Then the Shinto priests took over and carried the mikoshi into the temple building. There was a solemn prayer ritual. And then the fun began. Free sake and food (nut snacks and huge pears), blessed rice and chalk were given out. You're supposed to put a grain of the blessed rice into every pot of rice you cook, which will then bless the entire pot of rice! Don't ask about the chalk...no one could explain that to me. And now for the photos:

One of the bigger mikoshi (on wheels and being pulled by rope). There were kids standing on one half of the mikoshi and taiko drummers and flute players on the other half.

The mikoshi stopped for a while and these men started swivelling it around the wheel base so you can see the taiko drummers and flute players on the other side. The walk up to the templeThat's not all! It actually snakes further upwards and you get a great view of the town from above. This is the view from the top where you can see the path going up.The crazy men carrying the mikoshi. You can see a bit of the street decorations from the photo too. This was when they were still playing on the streets before carrying it up the temple. Mikoshi almost toppling over
Close shave! This was taken when I pushed my way up the pavement just before they came crashing through in front of meThe typical outfit worn by a mikoshi-carrier (i forgot the name of the outfit...starts with s)

When the shrine is finally brought into the temple compound

No photos of the freebies giveaway...I was too busy eating and drinking! ;P