Summer Festivals
There are many festivals in Japan during summer (well, not only summer). Most of them have one or more of the following: yukata, hanabi (fireworks) and "candle lanterns" (forgot the correct word in Japanese).
So I checked some of those lately. Too many to create a separate entry for each one. These are some of the events I went to.
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Tenjin Matsuri is said to be one of the Three Grand Festivals of Japan. So, with Gion Matsuri, that's two out of three... I wonder where's the other one?
It was held in Osaka on July 24th and 25th. As it seemed that the highlights would be on the 25th, I went there with Gaby on that day.
I didn't manage to see all the events. I lost a parade and whatever happened before that because I had a some sort of conference that day to attend. I was also "dressed for the occasion" of the conference, and that's not good clothing to use at a summer festival...
I managed to see the boats and the fireworks. Maybe it was enough, since I heard that the boats are the highlight of the festival.
The fireworks were a little disappointing... that's not a fireworks festival anyway. The boats were a pretty view... Although between Tenjin and Gion I stay with Gion, Tenjin was nice to see.
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The aikido circle decided to do a hanabi at the Kamogawa on July 27th. It seems that it's going to be forbidden from next year, so some people were looking forward to that.
Note that those kinds of hanabi are different than hanabi festivals. People usually get together and buy some fireworks at convenience stores or such, get to some place and have fun. It's somewhat common in summer (the "fireworks season" in Japan).
Thanks to my laziness to read all the group's messages (in Japanese) I found out about the event by luck, when some people commented about it on the afternoon of the day it was going to be held.
Those fireworks are not so impressive as the ones in festivals, but with other groups around doing the same thing, anyone can enjoy everyone's fireworks sparking. And since the group is setting off the fireworks instead of watching them, it allows more interaction with the group you came with.
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On August 8th there was a hanabi festival held at Biwako. That's one I wanted to see, and thankfully some other Brazilian students too, so we went there to watch.
It's said that the fireworks reflected on the lake is an amazing view, unfortunately we didn't manage to watch it that close (we couldn't see the lake). Even so, we got a nice place to watch it and it is the most impressive I've seen in Japan so far.
Interesting that, even though we decided to return before the end of the event (and sadly before the most beautiful ones were displayed) to avoid the rush after the event was finished, we still could see quite well even from inside the station... That's why fireworks festival is democratic. It's possible to appreciate it even if you're not close.
Unfortunately, I still don't know how to take proper pictures of fireworks...
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There was the Uji River Hanabi on August 10th. It's said to be the largest inside Kyoto Prefecture, since setting off fireworks is forbidden in most parts of Kyoto City because there was an accident where an historical monument was burnt because of fireworks. Couldn't check the story, but it makes sense to forbid fireworks display in a city full of Cultural Heritage Sites and such...
Anyway, that one was close from where I live, so why not check it? I was decided to go even alone, but didn't need to. Fortunately, K. and T. decided to join with T. "dressed for the occasion" with a yukata. There we met also R. and V. by chance. And also by chance we managed to find a good place to watch. Worse than the one at Biwako, but good enough to see the fireworks. Those were good, by the way. Too bad that the smoke was in the way sometimes...
The weird situation of the day was when T. asked a lady with a kid to sit down because they were obstructing our view. Her answer was to mind our own business... WTF!? To be fair, they sat a little after that.
And I was so happy to think that I could go back home walking, after seeing the crowd gathering at the closest train station when the event was over...
So I checked some of those lately. Too many to create a separate entry for each one. These are some of the events I went to.
-----
Tenjin Matsuri is said to be one of the Three Grand Festivals of Japan. So, with Gion Matsuri, that's two out of three... I wonder where's the other one?
It was held in Osaka on July 24th and 25th. As it seemed that the highlights would be on the 25th, I went there with Gaby on that day.
I didn't manage to see all the events. I lost a parade and whatever happened before that because I had a some sort of conference that day to attend. I was also "dressed for the occasion" of the conference, and that's not good clothing to use at a summer festival...
I managed to see the boats and the fireworks. Maybe it was enough, since I heard that the boats are the highlight of the festival.
The fireworks were a little disappointing... that's not a fireworks festival anyway. The boats were a pretty view... Although between Tenjin and Gion I stay with Gion, Tenjin was nice to see.
-----
The aikido circle decided to do a hanabi at the Kamogawa on July 27th. It seems that it's going to be forbidden from next year, so some people were looking forward to that.
Note that those kinds of hanabi are different than hanabi festivals. People usually get together and buy some fireworks at convenience stores or such, get to some place and have fun. It's somewhat common in summer (the "fireworks season" in Japan).
Thanks to my laziness to read all the group's messages (in Japanese) I found out about the event by luck, when some people commented about it on the afternoon of the day it was going to be held.
Those fireworks are not so impressive as the ones in festivals, but with other groups around doing the same thing, anyone can enjoy everyone's fireworks sparking. And since the group is setting off the fireworks instead of watching them, it allows more interaction with the group you came with.
-----
On August 8th there was a hanabi festival held at Biwako. That's one I wanted to see, and thankfully some other Brazilian students too, so we went there to watch.
It's said that the fireworks reflected on the lake is an amazing view, unfortunately we didn't manage to watch it that close (we couldn't see the lake). Even so, we got a nice place to watch it and it is the most impressive I've seen in Japan so far.
Interesting that, even though we decided to return before the end of the event (and sadly before the most beautiful ones were displayed) to avoid the rush after the event was finished, we still could see quite well even from inside the station... That's why fireworks festival is democratic. It's possible to appreciate it even if you're not close.
Unfortunately, I still don't know how to take proper pictures of fireworks...
-----
There was the Uji River Hanabi on August 10th. It's said to be the largest inside Kyoto Prefecture, since setting off fireworks is forbidden in most parts of Kyoto City because there was an accident where an historical monument was burnt because of fireworks. Couldn't check the story, but it makes sense to forbid fireworks display in a city full of Cultural Heritage Sites and such...
Anyway, that one was close from where I live, so why not check it? I was decided to go even alone, but didn't need to. Fortunately, K. and T. decided to join with T. "dressed for the occasion" with a yukata. There we met also R. and V. by chance. And also by chance we managed to find a good place to watch. Worse than the one at Biwako, but good enough to see the fireworks. Those were good, by the way. Too bad that the smoke was in the way sometimes...
The weird situation of the day was when T. asked a lady with a kid to sit down because they were obstructing our view. Her answer was to mind our own business... WTF!? To be fair, they sat a little after that.
And I was so happy to think that I could go back home walking, after seeing the crowd gathering at the closest train station when the event was over...
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