Yukata and boots? Why not! - 浴衣とブーツ併せてどうしてアカンの？

I don't blame the lady on the left, I hate those traditional slippers too.

Definitely not Utah - ユタではないのですっ

Here, UT = Utsunomiya

Fire department in Moka -真岡市火消し団

Hot day in Moka - 真岡の暑い一日

Head:

The lady is using a cooling spray. It was bloody hot yesterday.

(shoulders, knees) and toes:

Adults suffered from the heat too:

And I myself needed an ice pack for my head (no photos of me suffering though) - it was THAT hot.

Actually no, it was THAT hot:

Yeah, it was positively sizzling!

Ryuousai at Ryuoukyou - 龍王峡での龍王祭

Please excuse the crappy romaji transliteration, but I never know whether to put those extra "u's" in there or not.

We "heart" Engrish

V

Point your camera at any random Japanese person, and chances are, he or she will do this:

Street signs - now also in English

Visit to Oya Stone Museum

the steps down:

underground:

the pillars... back in 2003 there were only two, now there's a whole bunch:

Tenno Sai overload

Because everybody likes to look at:

- cute women

-cute children:

- pretty things in general:

The sounds of Tenno Sai

Drums:

And more drums:

Traditional orchestra, kid version:

Traditional orchestra, old fart version:

Traditional band, multi-generational version:

And here's a video of a taiko performance:

Kids of Tenno Sai

Look Ma - I'm drumming:

And one, and two, and three... try not to fall down from the float, OK?

Drums? We have them.

Fans? We have them, too.

Strange dudes? Check.

And yes, we walk rain or shine:

And if you want to read about this festival, instead of just looking at pictures, then visit here: Tenno Sai in Utsunomiya.

To cross or not to cross?

That is the question:

Lemme think....

OK, to cross:

Walk through the woods

In the woods behind nagaoka hyakketsu:

Tradition and technology

Near ruin

such near-ruins right in the city center always make me scratch my head.

Enjoying the ride

All quiet

in the bar district.

Homeless

Legs

During the mikoshi rehearsal:

Tired at Futaara

Memories of spring:

city view

View from the station