Tokamachi Fest '05 in Full Effect Yo, Represent

The three day mountain-town festival in Tokamachi has started. I love these festivals because they are unique to each town and Tokamachi's is so quaint yet out of control.

I danced Thursday night in the opening parade. It's a style of dancing called odoru, which just means traditional dance. Me, Martin, Lopaka, Russell and Amity joined in with a group from the community center who teaches a Japanese class. We all received matching Yukata (summer kimono) and kind-of learned the moves ahead of time. There was a slight rain as a typhoon is passing by, but just enough to keep us cool.

Each group in the festival has different matching kimonos, but they all do the same dance. Once it got going I got into the swing of it...not sure how to describe it other than being very Japanese. Slow motions and clapping, all as you walk slowly. Danced about an hour straight, up main street and back. People gawked and took photos but mostly appreciated that we tried...

Afterwards ended up in Airk with the girls and everyone was in their kimono. I love the summer festivals if not for everything else, at least the yukata. There is nothing that makes me feel more like I'm in Japan than just sitting around speaking to people wearing kimono.

A couple more days of fest-ing to come, lots of mikoshi (portable shrine) carrying, and I'm sure I'll have a beer or two once I'm off these damn meds...