If you happen to visit northen Tohoku in August this is a “must see” event. Brave the crowds. I have seen the Hirosaki, Aomori, and Goshogawara events, and they are completely different in character. I too prefer the Goshogawara festival; it is more raucous and festive with a very high energy level. Hirosaki’s event is the most subdued of the three.

In 2006, as an artist-in-residence in Japan (ceramic artist), I had the pleasure and honor of being invited by the mayor of Goshogawara to assist in pulling one of the Tachi Neputa during the first night of the Matsuri (festival). It was truly an amazing experience and a very different perspective on the festivities.

The floats are incredibly heavy, and the huge form acts like a sail in the wind…. often being hard to guide, start, or stop as the breeze varies. Even without the breezes, the inertia of a stopped Neputa is daunting; it takes a significant coordinated “heave” from everyone to get it going. Guiding the towering Neputa out of the Goshogawara Museum where they are housed was an interesting puzzle, since the clearances to the walls are very tight and it takes a LOT of people carefully working together to move one.

With hours spent chanting and pushing and pulling in the intense August heat and humidity, it was a trancendent and memorable time for me.

Check out this festival if you can.

best,

…………………john

John

http://johnfultz.blogspot.com