On the last weekend , the Autumn Festival was held at my village. From the Saturday evening to through the Sunday, they had enjoyed this traditional event. Kids are allowed to stay up a bid late, and fathers can be drunken all day long!
Haul! Haul!
This big cart is called O-mikoshi that is supposed to be the Shito god’s seat and while this o-mikoshi being moved, inside of the red thick curtain of the o-mikoshi, the Noricko boys keep playing the music and calling out strongly with distinct intonation. This sound always make me feel somehow Godly and exciting!!
To the shrine, they had to make it climb up the steps
Ooops! the wheel was out!
They swing the o-mikoshi with calling out “Washoi Washoi!!” You can see how hard it was swinging by its fringes. Even such a bumpy moments, the Noricko boys can not stop playing the music, because they are supposed to be the children of the Shinto god. 
They competed each other in front of the main shrine house.
THEY are the Noriko boys!! They are not allowed to step on the earth all that day long, because you know, they are the GOD children!! so, they have to be taken themselves to the bathroom on one’s shoulders. It’s very tough deal, but also very honorable for boys.
The men had kept carrying the omikoshi until it got dark. It looks they were strong, but I think they were so drunken that they didn’t feel tired!
I guess some/many of them are absent from their work today!!
It’s great to see Momo having so much fun!!!
Wait! Where’s Tatsu? I missed my boy’s shining face!
Tatsu had been hanging around the stalls with his friends. I let him buy some snacks there within $10 or so, and he got potato fries and a kind of lottery things. At matsuri/festival, kids begin to learn how stupid it is to bet on the sweet talk. I hope Tatsu learned some..
It must have been painful for him to part from that cash… My father has always called the lottery ‘taxation for being a fool’.
My straw emperor, it serves him right for tricking his sister!!!
Looks like so much fun and I can see your Momo is having alot of fun too ^_^ did your husband joined in the festival ? YOur Momo looks so cute in that ..what do you call the robe she is wearing? I saw a programme highlighting the festivals of Japan on NHK World when I was on holiday at the hotel ..I was in awe and know to experience it for real would be fantastic and unforgettable!
No, my husband didn’t take part in that. He was invited but he refrained. He’s from the urban area where there aren’t these traditional events anymore, and he isn’t accustomed himself to these kind of things Originally, these festivals were held to thank to the God for the harvests. So, basically it’s only in rural area and very..how do you say..they are very masculine guys, like a lot of smoke, alchole, and talk wildly. They creat some air? culture? I like them because I have also raised here, so it’s my culture, but my husband might hesitate to join in, I think. haha.
Momo was wearing “Happi”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happi
Wearing happi make the Japanese feel festive!!
You and I are too similar!
It’s like some parrell life…
Well, I’m sure you know that the men in our lives are very similar in personality. No drinking and smoking and refrain from that sort of really over the top masculine culture.
Andrew is strong and manly, but in his own noble way. I’m sure Jiro is the same.
Also, well… Andrew isn’t from this area, so the festivals and other local events are really unfamilar to him. Perhaps… Alittle bit redneck!! Things like the local tobacco festival or the Jessie James festival (yes, we celebrate that he robbed our town bank!) seem strange to his city sensablities.
How did my auto-spellcheck mess up ‘parallel’ so badly?! Jeeze……
Awww thats a shame but thats what make festivals beautiful..the air of working together to make events happen, full of laughter, forget the hardships and just enjoy ..drink and be merry! Oh so thats a Happi ..i agree wearing a happi does make one feel festive ..i know i would!
We have a similar but smaller festival in Kakuda. The kids pull a small mikoshi all over town. It’s very cute!
いいな～、やって見たいです。
A couple things:
1) The term “神” can “god” in English, but if you say “God” (big “G”), then that means the Christian/Jewish god only. So it’s a bit confusing. If you want to be specific, you can say “the Shinto god” or just “Shinto kami”. Even if they don’t know Shinto, they will at least know you’re talking about different religion. Even Westerners gets this confused often when they talk about Japanese religion! :-0
So, a small correction:
2) Excellent English here, but a couple small typos:
Should be “giddy”, not “Goddy”, and “exciting”, not “exiting”. Grammar looks great though, and natural sounding!
Anyway, yeah, I noticed that in Japanese countryside, men can be very masculine compared to city men. That’s true everywhere I think (US, Ireland, etc,etc). My father-in-law is very masculine, but he gave up smoking *and* drinking after my wife was born. He put a picture of her in his cigarette pack to remind him why, and that worked. But he is unusual. Most of his friends and co-workers still drink and smoke a lot.
I never really drank or smoke, so my wife’s parents were happy with me.
>The term “神” can “god” in English, but if you say “God” (big “G”), then that means the Christian/Jewish god only.
そうでした！！I should have been more carefull about these kind of matters! It’s crucial issue for the religious people, but honestly, when I’m talking about 神さま, I don’t identify each one of them exactly. How about your wife? (or How had she been when you met her?) However, I should be aware of it as long as I write in English.
Thanks for my typos!
You didn’t say anything offensive, don’t worry!
It’s just a cultural and language difference. God and god aren’t the same thing in English. Confusing? Yes. Offensive? No.
I think my wife is more Buddhist these days (my fault
), but she thinks of 神さま the same way. Because she is my wife, I know what you mean by 神さま, but I don’t think there’s an exactly translation in English. If you say “God”, then people think you’re talking about Christianity or Judaism, but if you say “god” or “gods” then it becomes kind of vague. Which god are you talking about? 
In Japan, it’s difficult to explain too, since Buddhism, Shinto and other things mixed so much. It makes sense in Japan, but Westerners would be confused, because religions don’t mix the same way. I guess that’s a cultural difference: Japanese blend religion, while Westerners don’t. In Western culture, you usually have to be Christian or Buddhist or Muslim or whatever. Each has its own vocabulary too! :p
It’s a very fun topic I think, but I think I talk too much.
Anyway, it’s a difficult subject, but you’re doing great. Just wanted to give some friendly advice.
頑張ってください！！！