Alex Quinn's Japan Journal

5/29/2005, Aioi Peron Matsuri (Festival) day 2: festival, races

As I said in yesterday's journal entry, Aioi's Peron Matsuri (festival) is a really big deal in Aioi.  It is Aioi's biggest and only day to shine in the year.  So, it is really exciting for me and other Aioi residents.  The biggest crowds came for the fireworks yesterday, but the boat races and traditional Japanese festival events also enjoyed lots of spectators.

Akemi was in town for the festival.  We made breakfast in the morning and then headed into town on bicycle.

As part of the parades, many people came with their decked out motorcycles.

Aioi, with it's big shipyards, is largely a blue collar town.  So, the motorcycles fit in nicely.

Here is Akemi, looking cute as the dickens on this big motorcycle.

These gentlemen, well, look, umm, somewhat less cute.

But, they're having lots of fun, and that's what matters.

The beginning of one of the parades.  Behind the crowds, there are dancers doing traditional Japanese dancing.

Finally, they pierced through the thick rows of photographers with their beautiful dancing.

More dancing in the parade.

Traditional Japanese (Taiko) drumming

My friend Matt played Taiko traditional Japanese drums in a free performance in a concert hall in the center of town.

Matt was a jazz drummer before he came to Seattle.  He has also played rock drums.  He plays rock with friends here in Japan.  But, this was traditional Taiko drumming, played with the students at his school.  Sadly, the schedule changed at the last minute, and I didn't see his performance.

But, I saw some other great Taiko drumming groups.

These guys hit big drums really hard with big sticks.  The sticks are about 3 cm (a little over an inch) in diameter, I guess.  Maybe 30 cm (1 foot) long.

Trying to shed more light on the situation, I tried to do a time exposure photograph.  I forgot that their arms were moving really fast.  Notice the guy on the left's arms in a blur.

This bird is sort of a mascot (sp?) for Aioi.  I see it elsewhere.  The sign just says "Aioi Peron Matsuri".

The boat races

The festival was lots of fun.  Lots of stands with food.  Interesting people.  But, eventually, we did make it down to see the boat races.  Here are some pictures we took of the boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

Boat races.

For dinner, we made some kitsune udon noodles at my place.

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