Neighborhood Fall Festival 2009

Kids wearing happi coats are pulling something out of the park.

They were pulling this mikoshi, portable shrine. They carried it down the street and around the neighborhood several times. Grown-ups helped.

They pushed and beat this drum, too. The festival was Saturday and Sunday.

Click here for the 2006 post. here for close-ups of the mikoshi. Click on the label below for posts on other festivals.

Fried Fish Patties on Sticks

This stall was at the ichou (gingko tree) festival.

This is called iwashi genkotsu. The fish is not a whole piece of fish. It is a patty made of ground fish, but the texture is not like ground beef. It's really tasty. Look, this stall keeper keeps his change in a dish.

A steamer.

More Stuff on Sticks

At this stall, there was chicken on sticks, beef on sticks, corn cobs on sticks and

rectangles of vegetable gelatin on sticks. Yum! They are soaking in hot water. The sticks are pointing upward. She's putting a sauce on one before serving it to a customer.

Okunitama Shrine

I saw this sign as I left Okunitama Shrine in Fuchu. It is for an ume (plum blossom) festival. It is hanging from a light post along the street.

I only got one picture of a ume tree in bloom. Come to think of it, it was the only I saw! The blossoms were late this year. I haven't seen many trees in bloom in our neighborhood.

Neighborhood Fall Festival

Our neighborhood mikoshi. Kids and adults dress up in happi coats and carry this through the streets of the neighborhood. Some neighborhoods have really big mikoshi. Check the October archives for last year's post.

On the Way to the Chrysanthemum Festival at the Temple in Niigata

We walked to the temple to see the chrysanthemum festival or kiku matsuri. This Japanese cake shop had chrysanthemums in front.

This is a small shrine in front of the cake shop. My friend said there is sometimes money left next to the figurine inside. There are directions to the temple on it.

This is the entrance to the temple. It was decorated with small chrysanthemums.

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Festival Lanterns in the Evening

Neighborhood Festival

This park was decorated for a festival last weekend.



The slide was covered with a big blue tarp.



Food and game booths were set up. Cotton candy was served on wooden chopsticks. There were prizes for the games. Everything was free. Everyone was having a good time.



At this neighborhood festival, a drum is beaten all day and evening. It stands in the park and is beaten. Anyone can drum.



The drum is rolled and beaten through the streets several times. Two women followed the group pushing a cart of juice cartons.

I took advantage of the good weather to do some work in the garden. I missed the procession every time it passed our house. When I heard it coming, I ran out with the camera, but it had already passed. They were fast! This is the only picture I got. I was too muddy to follow.

I thought I would take pictures the next day, but it rained. No more festival in our neighborhood. No more drumming. Other neighborhoods will have festivals. I'll try to get some pictures of the games they play.

By the way, who is the guy in the red shirt? I have no idea, but he's in almost every picture!