This was a last minute trip for us, I had tried to sign us up for the trip through the tour office on base but it sold out. We got on a waiting list and a couple days before they called to say spots had opened up! Yay! Here's a little history from japan-guide.com on what the festival is about:
"The Kanto Matsuri (竿燈まつり, "pole lantern festival") is a Tanabata related celebration in Akita City, held every year from August 3 to 6. The highlight of the festival is an impressive display of skill in which performers balance kanto (long bamboo poles) with arrays of paper lanterns attached to the end. The Kanto Matsuri together with Aomori's Nebuta Festival and Sendai's Tanabata makes up the three great festivals of the Tohoku Region.
The kanto poles come in different sizes with the largest measuring 12 meters, weighting 50 kilograms and carrying as many as 46 paper lanterns, lit by real candles. To the sound of drums, flutes and onlookers chanting "dokkoisho, dokkoisho", each kanto is hoisted up by a single performer who balances them on end using various techniques. The performers change every few minutes and gradually add extensions to the pole until the kanto are at their maximum height.
The main event of the festival, the Night Parades, are held nightly along Chuo Dori street in the center of the city. The various performing groups, carrying nearly 250 kanto poles, line up on the street, and when a signal is given, the poles are all raised up at once and the performers show off their skills. The event lasts about 90 minutes. The performing area of Chuo Dori is nearly one kilometer long."
This is another little link with some great info, it explains the Kanto's in better detail... http://www.kantou.gr.jp/english/
So glad we were able to go. By far the most exciting event we've been to since getting here! Akita is 260km (160mi) from Misawa, about a 4 hour drive (using the toll roads where you can actually drive "fast" = 100kph = 62mph) and is on the Sea of Japan on the west coast. Here's the map:
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| Rice field. |
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| Pretty flowers. |
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| More rice fields. |
We got to Akita a couple of hours before the parade started so we were able to do a little exploring. We went to Senshu Park where Keenan had been when he visited here 4 years ago. Senshu Park is the site of a former castle grounds and part of the castle town. All have since been destroyed but a replica of the castle and a couple of the gates have been rebuilt. There was also a pond completely covered with gigantic water lilies (lotus flowers). I was amazed by them (as were lots of other people)! I read somewhere that they were grown from seeds that were 2,000 years old. Also, let me warn you of an upcoming picture of the inside of a Japanese style port-a-potty, if that grosses you out, keep on scrolling!
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| Food vendors setting up. |
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| This was the inside of a Japanese-style port-a-potty. It's designed so you have to step up onto the platform then squat. There's a railing above the toilet paper and the black circle is where you step to flush....sigh... they're gross no matter where you are. |
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| If this flower had been opened, it would have been the size of my head. They were huge! |
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| One of Kubota Castle gates in Senshu Park. |
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| Shrine in the park. |
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| I believe this was a statue of someone in the Satake clan that started the city. |
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| This was a grapefruit flavored chu-hi. (150yen or $1.50 for anyone wondering) |
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| Kubota Castle |
Yes, this drinking fountain was a little short for him, and no, I don't think that's really supposed to be a step, but it makes for a funny picture!
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| Pond and garden in the park. |
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| Spicy chicken nuggets, more like "chicken." |
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| Big beer was 300 yen or $3.00 |
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| These were our reserved seats, you can see that the road for the parade is not very wide. The poles with cables above the people on each side are definitely there for a reason. I'll explain why once I get to the pics of the kanto parade. |
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| Weren't sure what this was when we bought it, but it ended up being some sort of ground meat (pork?) and cartilage formed into that shape and put on a stick. Tasted ok, but texture not quite what I would call "good". |
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| Closest thing I've seen to a "regular" pickle. Japanese cucumbers look like this. |
Continued at.....Akita Kanto Festival 2013 - Part 2
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