22 August 2009
16 August 2009
Nebuta et al.
Hmmm...what to write? So much has happened during this last month in Tokyo. Reflecting upon some of the highlights, I think about singing with my sister, Erika in Inokashira park one Saturday night. We had a single fan consistently within earshot - a self-proclaimed "alien" who was amicable and missing a few front teeth. A fireworks display in Koremasa was outrageously incredible and indelible. Music blasted through towering speakers in the jam-packed stadium, accompanying a rainbow of zipping swivels, booming bursts and crackling pops. Then, Damien, an Irish friend visited last week. We took the Shinkansen - bullet train - north to Aomori, and by chance found ourselves in front of cameras filming a commercial for the Nebuta festival. I'm sure we won't become famous, but our faces will flash across all television screens around Aomori at least.
Nobody knows exactly when Nebuta first started (I've been given a wide range of guesses, between 60-150 years ago), but everybody knows exactly how it should be celebrated. The festival always falls on the first full week in August, and is just behind Aomori apples in terms of its national and international recognition and popularity. There is day-time fanfare, but everyone knows the hoopla really begins with parades down Shinmachi dori each night. The taiko drums and piping flautists with fast fingers lead throngs of dancers dressed in yukatas shouting "Ra-se-ra ra-se-ra" through the city. The gigantic illuminated floats weigh up to four ton - about 8,000 pounds! - are (wo)man powered, built with wooden frames and lit up with thousands of light bulbs. Makeshift risers stacked three high flank the parade route, and to get a good spot it is best to show up at least two hours early.
I've had the chance to haneru - literally, "jump" - in the Nebuta parade three times before, but had to miss out this year. Damien and I were in Aomori on the eve of the festival, and got to check out all of the glowing floats on exhibition just beside Aomori bay. My ceramics sensei, Kamata san, is a good friend of Nebuta's top designer; hence, that night we soon found ourselves in his company sitting seiza style, sipping sake and eating edamame. He invited me to help out with next year's float. I told him I was honored to receive an invitation, but because the project would start in February and finish in August, I really didn't believe I'd be able to give the time. Mais, c'est la vie - life is an array of options, and I'm really starting to think about what directions our decisions take us...
Nobody knows exactly when Nebuta first started (I've been given a wide range of guesses, between 60-150 years ago), but everybody knows exactly how it should be celebrated. The festival always falls on the first full week in August, and is just behind Aomori apples in terms of its national and international recognition and popularity. There is day-time fanfare, but everyone knows the hoopla really begins with parades down Shinmachi dori each night. The taiko drums and piping flautists with fast fingers lead throngs of dancers dressed in yukatas shouting "Ra-se-ra ra-se-ra" through the city. The gigantic illuminated floats weigh up to four ton - about 8,000 pounds! - are (wo)man powered, built with wooden frames and lit up with thousands of light bulbs. Makeshift risers stacked three high flank the parade route, and to get a good spot it is best to show up at least two hours early.
I've had the chance to haneru - literally, "jump" - in the Nebuta parade three times before, but had to miss out this year. Damien and I were in Aomori on the eve of the festival, and got to check out all of the glowing floats on exhibition just beside Aomori bay. My ceramics sensei, Kamata san, is a good friend of Nebuta's top designer; hence, that night we soon found ourselves in his company sitting seiza style, sipping sake and eating edamame. He invited me to help out with next year's float. I told him I was honored to receive an invitation, but because the project would start in February and finish in August, I really didn't believe I'd be able to give the time. Mais, c'est la vie - life is an array of options, and I'm really starting to think about what directions our decisions take us...
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