Kawanishi Matsuri

Recap: Matsuri means summer festival. Mostly includes street stalls, mikoshi (portable shrine) parade, free food and drinks, fireworks, and generally lots of fun.

A bunch of us stayed over at Russell's place in Kawanishi last night. Russell is supposed to help carry the mikoshi in the day. After a hearty breakfast of toast, eggs, sausages, bacon and grapefruit that almost set the fire alarm off, we headed off for the matsuri.

Patrick helping Russell with tying the obi (sash) of his yukata

The street stalls from afar

One of the mikoshis

Russell carrying the mikoshi

The locals were so friendly that they started pulling the rest of us in as well

Patrick with face half-hidden

Christian who's a complete Japanophile

and me! (yes, I know I look like a retard in this photo) Anyway, the mikoshi is really heavy because...

It's supposedly filled with sake!

So, you basically carry this around town shouting "wasshoi, wasshoi, wasshoi!" all the time and there are little kids in a wagon behind the mikoshi blowing their whistles after every "wasshoi" shout. According to the locals, this is to express gratitude for a good harvest and to pray for the peace for the town. The mikoshi stops at some places (that provide donations, mostly shops and some households) and the carriers will have to throw the mikoshi up and down, while moving in a circle and shouting "wasshoi wasshoi wasshoi!" continuously. Where they get the strength to do that I really don't know. The thing is so heavy. Anyway, the carriers get quite hysterical about this. My shoulder got bruised during this when one of the supporting beams of the mikoshi came crashing down on it. I was completely unprepared for the weight of the bloody thing and the speed of the movement! But, I'm ok, not to worry.

Mikoshi being thrown up and down

The wagon filled with children trailing behind the mikoshi

Man carrying donation box leading the pack

The mikoshi makes a few rest stops, where everyone will be given drinks (mostly beer, non-alcoholic drinks for kids only), snacks and for one break, we even had ice-cream! So after every break, the carriers get more and more drunk. There was once when the first person carrying the mikoshi was so drunk that he couldn't walk straight and almost sent everyone into the drain! But that's when it becomes really fun.

Local giving his feet an onsen bath

View of Tokamachi town from Kawanishi (it's the cluster of buildings you see between the rice fields and the mountains)

2 mikoshis fighting at the petrol kiosk

Kids eating candy floss in their wagon at the end of the parade

After the mikoshi parade (from 1-5pm), the locals invited us to join their celebration at this garage which had tatami mats and tables laid out. Free drinks and food were provided. It was great! Everyone was just completely drunk. The Japanese simply do not allow your glass to be empty and keep force-feeding you sake and beer! The great thing is that they bring out their best sake for such occasions. The sake they gave us was so smooth that you simply don't feel it going down...then of course, that is the perfect recipe for getting completely drunk! (This pic was taken quite early. Later on, it became more crowded and food and drinks were just piled on the tables)

Then we proceeded to Louis for more food/drinks. Louis is a really cool restaurant that is like a log cabin. (sorry about the green light, I think its the sun's rays)

One drunk man crashed out and fell asleep on the stairs (even the interior of the place is cool!)