A lovely Lilliputian landscape created by an even more lovely Lilliputian life form.
A bonsai-based Lilliputian landscape
Culture
A giant Japanese festival drum
Along with mikoshi, or portable shrines, taiko drums are a mainstay of many Japanese festivals, although a large number of the latter generally aren’t as big as this lumbering beast.
An instrument that needless to say required quite a few people to pull it along the pre-arranged path.
But all the effort was worth it when the drum was made to produce its powerful, almost primeval sound. An effect that this recording unfortunately does little to reproduce, as although it may replicate the sound to a certain extent, it in no way recreates the vibrations that can be felt bouncing around the air, and even through one’s bones.
Of course knocking out such a noise is no easy task, and those with enough gumption to give it a go understandably had to psyche themselves up beforehand.
As well as utilise a variety of tricky looking techniques.
And of course muster the required strength and stamina.
All of which were warmly appreciated by those watching.
Yakuza hands?
Unfortunately I’m not in a position to say for definite, as I can’t get a concrete reading for the kanji, but considering the age of the man in question, and the kind of tattoos he’s semi covering, it’s more than likely that he is, or at least was, a member of the yakuza.
Although in regards any possible particulars, such as past positions or prominence, I thought it prudent not to ask.
Kawagoe festival folk
Even though I’ve probably been to more festivals that I can, let alone care to remember, they never get boring — not in the slightest; the atmosphere, and particularly the people, making each one unique. Plus, to a man whose mother country has to make do with morris dancing, they really can’t be anything other than utterly mesmerising.
But that said, whereas I was once fascinated with the mikoshi that was being carried, or the enormous float that was somehow being steered down a street, my interest now lies much more with those doing the carrying and contributing.
And this year’s Kawagoe Festival was no different, with, as always, a varied contingent that included those of all ages.
Colourfulness.
And indeed coolness.
Plus, along with a selection of sounds to sample,
there was also a myriad of emotions to marvel at. This time covering the meditative.
Mildly irritated.
And of course, merry.
Old tofu shop in Tokyo
With all its chain stores, massive shopping emporiums and incredible number of convenience stores, it’s arguably amazing to simply see small shops in Tokyo, let alone find some that are actually surviving. Yet survive they do, and in surprisingly healthy numbers, although how successfully many of them are soldiering on is something else altogether.
But either way, this fella, and quite possibly his father before him, has no doubt been making and selling tofu for more time than he’d care to remember. And fingers crossed he’ll be able to continue for many more years to come, but whether the business will be able to do so when he’s decided to call it a day, is considerably more debatable.
