The (Not So) Exciting Stories Of My Adventures In The Japanese Countryside...: Haru Matsuri - More Kagura

I am completely obstinate. Sunday, after having barely recovered from another sleepless night (don't feel sorry for me...I was up all night at the matsuri in Yawatahama) I set out w/Josh for the Kucho area of Ikata to observe Haru Matsuri (Spring Festival) and yes, more Kagura dancing. In true Ikata fashion the logistics were absurdly messy...no one had any idea what time the event started...the shop in in my town ran out of film for my camera...there were no available bus options to get there. Since I am momentarily sans vehicle, and Kucho へ　行く　道 is reeeally mountainous, we ended up taking a taxi. So you can imagine my disappointment when we arrived to an empty shrine only to be told that the festival was rescheduled for the following day - a Monday, nonetheless. We were able to contemplate our bad luck during the long walk home.

Fortunately, my co-workers are really cool and allowed me to take a last-minute nenkyu (vacation day) this morning. I even managed to snag a video camera from the A/V room which is great because Kagura is something that really needs to be captured in a more dynamic format than photograph. So, after depleting the last of my financial reserves (my "mad" money for the unexpected) I grabbed another cab and headed back out to Kucho. The performance was amazing (below are some photographs)! And this time I was lucky, two fellows from the community kindly picked me up on the expressway and dropped me back off in Minatoura.

This dance (above) is my favorite. The perfomer executes a series of impressive backward rolls while balancing a tray in palm of each hand (the tray lies flat, he doesn't use his fingers to clutch it). He contorts in such a way as to keep the trays from falling while he is rolling.