Hamaori By The River

Anywho, apparently different municipalities do it to, et voila: Hamaori-Matsuri for the neighbors! This toned-down version involved no nudity, just carrying the shrine through the streets and along the river, past the graveyard, down the hill, stopping intermittently to collect more people and enjoy each block’s hospitality. The drums boomed in the distance, went silent, boomed, went silent for hours before the procession progressed to the river. Once they arrived at the conglomerate of tents set up with food, beer and sake, I understood the silent spells—every single time the drums stopped, the shrine was set down so the carriers could eat and drink. Obviously most everybody was very drunk and extremely friendly by this point. John got coerced into helping carry the float again. I held the plastic cups of Asahi (Japanese beer) and took pictures, then followed the procession with the other people in hopi coats (thigh-length kimono) to the next round of tents, beer, onegiri (rice triangles), Japanese sausages, watermelon, fried chicken, tiny Japanese potatoes, Chu-hi, etc.