gion matsuri : 祇園祭り

this weekend was the local gion (祇園) festival in k-chan's hometown.
i guess most people think of kyoto when they hear the word gion, but even k-chan's small mountainous town has it's own version of this summer festival.
as the narrow road outside k-chan's home is being closed off to vehicles, young girls are getting dressed up in brightly colored yukata and small stalls selling takoyaki (octopus balls), candyfloss, kakigori (shaved ice) and kingyou-sukui (a scooping up goldfish game) begin to line the street.
further down the mountain you can hear the men shouting "wasshoi! wasshoi! wasshoi!" as they carry the heavy omikoshi (a portable shrine) on their shoulders.

when k-chan was a kid the men of her local town would parade their omikoshi up and down the streets until they met with the men of the neighboring town who were carrying their own local omikoshi. when both towns men met they would crash into each other trying to ruin the others omikoshi. every year a brawl would breakout with fists flying this way and that; naturally all was forgotten the following day but sadly this tradition of kenka-mikoshi is now no longer allowed in this part of the woods.

even without the fist-fights this summer festival is still a local favorite especially for the kids.
the adults also have their fair share of fun enjoying a beer or two outside in the cool summer night.

fingers crossed we can join in on the gion festivities next year too!