Another Matsuri

So, there are a bunch of pictures of a matsuri I went to on Sunday. I've mentioned before how it is extremely annoying to get these photos from my phone to the blog, so you'll forgive me if I'm too lazy to move them and comment on each individually.

I'm aware that the pictures are terrible, but, again, I was using a cellphone. Also, I don't know how to rotate the one picture that is sideways, so I'm not going to bother trying. Some of the pictures appear to be of an extremely bright stage. That is actually what they are supposed to be. There was a crazy dance show, where the dance group (that I think was a professional group from out of town) dressed up in semi-traditional-looking clothes, but did crazy hip-hop dances and the like. Apparently, it was all too bright for the pathetic little camera in the phone. It was also absurdly loud, so if the pictures hurt your eyes, keep in mind that the experience hurt my ears.

One of the pictures, which is also very hard to make out, is of some very hot object. I couldn't follow enough of what they were saying to figure out what was going on, and also I came after they started and had to look over a crowd. Basically, there was some kind of structure made out of what appeared to be wooden boxes that they were somehow heating from underneath, I think. After a while, they took it apart and knocked something that looked to be a big rock out of one of the boxes. It was hot enough to feel from where I was standing, which was a few meters (I am in Japan, that is what we use here!) away. They then rolled it into a big bucket of water and there was a bunch of steam. Apparently, it was the traditional way of doing something. I don't know why people traditionally threw extremely hot things into buckets of water, but I'm guessing it has something to do with the Japanese obsession with bathing. A cool obsession, though.

The girl in one of the only semi-clear picture is named Erika, as I found out that night. She works at the convenience store, and as I was leaving said convenience store with James, the Canadian dude, who I just happened to run into at the matsuri she was entering. She wasn't working, though, and so didn't have the uniform on. She asked me if I recognized her, which I didn't, so instead of trying to skirt the issue, I just said that I didn't sorry. She explained and it was cool. James made me go back and get her email address, so I guess I will have to email her to be polite, at least. She's probably pretty nice, though. I am pretty recognizable to the staff at the convenience store because I am there a lot as a result of it being the only place open after seven o'clock and me being one of two white dudes here.

The thing that appears to be a cup of fried chicken is actually a cup of fried chicken. karaage to be more precise. That is what the Japanese call fried chicken that they always sell at these festivals. I don't know where the name comes from, since it is obviously American food, as evidenced by the ever-present American flag cups, but is also obviously not an English word. Like all festival food, it is probably overpriced at 300 yen for the little cup, but sometimes you get a craving. And it was pretty good, so I can't complain. Also it gave me one of probably only two discernable pictures.

Ok, enough of that! I am a little tired because I have been sick since Saturday with a bad cold, so I won't write much more. Kids are great, but they are all little germ factories.