The food. The arts. The crafts. The music. The dancing. The parades.
I always have loved going to outdoor festivals. Back at home, my top three festivals are: The Minnesota State Fair, the Minnesota Renaissance festival and the Bayfield Applefest. Especially the Applefest. There is nothing better then a crisp, lovely Autumn day next to Lake Superior, filled with apples, apple cider, apple pie (with cinnamon ice cream!), apple brats…apple anything!
Hold on. I need to stop that. I need to keep the homesickness at bay and focus on where I am.
Japan. Festivals. The two are practically synonyms. Almost every weekend, there is a festival somewhere in this country. Summer festivals are in their own personal category.
Because of the Japanese summer heat, many people wear yukata-summer kimono. Wearing traditional garb to festivals is a very popular practice in Japan. The typical kimono is simply far to complex and heavy to wear during the summer, so the light summer version is worn-the yukata.
We attended two festivals this summer. The first one was in our own town. It was back in July. A festival to celebrate two star lovers called 七夕 (Tanabata).
But that deserves a post all to itself. More to come!
Do you have a kimono yet?
ReplyDeleteI would love one and a pair of the stilty sandals.
No...not yet! They are crazy expensive, yo.
ReplyDelete