Moka yatai

yatai - this big float on wheels:

Utsunomiya city mascot

yep, it's a carp.

Young Jedi

in Moka

So young and crossed over to the dark side already...

Sunday at Moka Summer Festival

Sorry there's no Family Album Sunday today. Still waiting to hear from the data recovery company if they managed. True, I could scan the old negatives all over again, but I'm simply too lazy for that.

I was planning to go to Moka today too, but then it suddenly I remembered I other things to do, and had to stay home.

But YI (aka Dr. Trouble) went to Moka by himself, braved the elements and took some photos again today:

This TV camera woman seemed to be wearing the same clothes as she did yesterday.

Today at Moka Summer Festival

Update:
and this is how it looked on video

Taiko kids at Tenno Sai in Utsunomiya 2010

And this is how they played:




And wholesome boys doing some wholesome drumming:

It's nice to see teens pursuing a hobby that does not involve computer games or smoking cigarettes on dark street corners, if you know what I mean.

And this is how they played:

Lanterns

At Tenno Sai, July 18th, 2010.

Bamba team at Tenno Sai in Utsunomiya 2010

Because my dear husband is crafty like that, he had the good sense to save some images from Tenno Sai on a different storage device - one that is still working.
And because I'm a fan of the guys carrying the big drum, I saved that footage on my MacBook (instead of an external drive).

So here they are - the Bamba team drumming away.

And carrying the big drum up the steps to Futara shrine:

And here it is, captured on video. The guys never stopped drumming:

External hard drive disaster - IO-Data I HATE you!!!

Today we were supposed to bring you part 2 of our Tenno Sai report, but we won't. We were supposed to post a ton of new photos, but we can't. Our backup drives crashed. Both of them. Within days of each other.

We thought we were very careful and prudent storing our data not on one, but two different external drives, just in case one of them crashed. Well, they both did. One yesterday, the other one today.

I am beyond pissed at this moment. I want to nuke the headquarters of IO-Data, the company that manufactured both of those pieces of shit.

We'll take both shits to a computer doctor tomorrow and see if they can recover anything. In the meantime, there will be no fun new posts on either one of our blogs.


And a special, oh-so heartwarming message to IO-Data:

I hate you. I hope you will go out of business. Soon. And judging by the quality (or rather - lack thereof) of your products, you will. You suck, you're stupid and whoever is responsible for your quality control, I hope he falls under a bus.

So there, I feel better now.

PS. Update: one drive will fly to California for recovery, the other will take a bus to Ginza.
Please keep your fingers crossed!

Tenno Sai 2010 - the hairstyle edition

Because this is the Tenno Sai weekend in Utsunomiya, there will be no Family Album Sunday today. Instead, we bring you another theme you love - matsuri hairstyles.
Here are some hairy highlights from yesterday's festivities.

You so pretty!

Yeah, it really brings out your cheekbones:

Hairspray was on sale this week:

But not razors:

And we all know that the higher the hair, the closer to gods:

And hey, at least he tried, OK?

Tenno Sai 2010

I'll post more Tenno Sai photos tomorrow.

Off limits

Daiya River in Nikko

Shinkyo Bridge

Notice the support beams - they look like a shrine tori. The bridge is indeed sacred, and is one of the many properties belonging to Futara Shrine.

Moss

Stone lantern in front of the five-story pagoda.

Ghost rider

Family Album Sunday - part 4

Dinner in Nikko, ca. 1960.

More old family album photos are here.

Wish

Tengu

Seen last weekend in Utsunomiya.

To find out more about Tengu, please read this post: Sarutahiko on our other blog.

Reflected

Tanabata - July 7th

Looks a lot like xmas, but isn't.

Last Sunday in Utsunomiya

Miyaichisai. That's the official name. I just call it "a dress rehearsal before Tenno Sai." (Tenno Sai is a much grander festival, and it's coming up very soon).

To see more photos from Miyaichisai, check out this post on our other blog.

Bellydancing

She has a belly, that's for sure, and she's dancing:

Family Album Sunday - part 3

Nikko, Ganman in 1970:

More family album photos are here.

Rainbow

This was taken on Wednesday somewhere north of Utsunomiya.

Shiksa

An interesting name for a Japanese store. I wonder if they know what it means. LOL.

Somewhere in Shimotsuke countryside