Numata Matsuri

For three days at the beginning of August, this sleepy little town takes on new airs. The matsuri moves in, the roads shut down, and the sound of drums permeates.

Shidara-san, an impressive izakaya owner and matsuri coordinator. 

Sora - one of my kiddos. 

Hula dancing and all things Hawaiian are quite popular in Japan. People are amazed to hear that I have never been there, nor to New York, nor to California.

Gaikokujin! Kanpai!

One of the main events of the Numata Matsuri - Tengu omikoshi. Tengu is a mythological creature which started in the form of a bird with a large beak, but was then personified into a face with a long nose. They are often referred to as mountain goblins or mountain demons. Omikoshi are typically portable shrines rather than goblin visages, but the Tengu are special exceptions. 

Taiko drums are the best drums.

Takoyaki - grilled octopus

These booths rely on incredibly flimsy nets to maintain their profits. This young woman showed great patience and care to avoid breaking hers.

Thirty minute downpour. Many thanks to the guy who let me borrow his umbrella long enough to make these images. 

Refuge beneath the Tengu.

All the dashi floats gather in the park surrounding Suga-jinja (a shrine in Numata). 

Kanazawa, Day 1

We had the opportunity to visit Kanazawa last weekend. It is a beautiful, large city that was spared the destructive bombing during WWII, so much of its historic content survives. 

Over the course of two days we spent roughly 14 hours on the road and visited five major cultural sites in the city. Stephen's former host parents accompanied us to several of the sites and invited us to stay with them for the night. It was exciting to meet them and we benefited greatly from their firsthand knowledge of the area, as well as their hospitality.

 Kenrokuen Garden 

The "roku" in its name means six and is indicative of the six attributes necessary for a perfect garden: Spaciousness, Seclusion, Artificiality, Antiquity, Abundant Water, and Broad Views (as told by Chinese writer Li Gefei).

The Kotoji-toro, a stone lantern that symbolizes both the park and the city

 Statue of Prince Yamato Takeru, a historical figure who is something of a folk hero

Stephen and his host parents (Okaasan and Otousan) at Kenrokuen Garden 

Dango (colored rice balls), another kind of rice cake (name forthcoming), and oolong tea. Oishi. 

 A sakura lined street near Kanazawa Castle

 Kanazawa Castle

It has been mostly destroyed several times by numerous fires and an earthquake, but it has always been faithfully reconstructed using traditional building methods. 

 The fam

The view from within the second-story tea room in the Nomura-ke, a restored samurai house in the Nagamachi Samurai district in Kanazawa.  The Nomura family enjoyed much esteem before the feudal system deteriorated. 

Lovely light inside the Nomura-ke. 

Shadows on tatmi in the Nomura-ke 

A wall painting inside the Kaikaro, a nineteenth century tea house in the historic Higashi Chayagai district. Upon seeing it, Stephen remarked, "a flock of wingsuits!"