Easy Grilled Pesto Chicken Wings
2 days ago
Showing posts with label bon odori. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bon odori. Show all posts
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Yamato Awa Odori Festival
I am muchos behind on my blogging, but I was out of town all week in Taiwan! Here are a few pictures from the festival one town over that took place last Saturday. Nights like this are why I love Japan so much! The color, the friends, the culture, the dedication.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Yamato Bon Odori Festival
On July 24th, I participated in the parade of the Yamato Bon Odor Festival. Bon Odori is a style of dancing and for the last two months, we have been having practices every Thursday in order to learn about 12 of the dances. I missed about 5 of those practices so it's good we only did 2 dances the entire hour we performed.
We had to wear a traditional summer yukata during our performance. Of course, our yukata are red, white and blue! On Saturday's performance there were about 50 Americans. We had to meet early to have someone dress us in our yukata. It's more complicated than it looks, but the red obi has a pre-made bow so we don't have to worry about that. It just ties around our waist. My shoes are white and Nicole's are red because I had to order man shoes. Darn you Japan and your land of tiny tiny people and feet!
We lined up along the parade route and then we started dancing! Circle, circle, arm, arm, side, side, price is right display, display, elbow, elbow, safe, repeat! That's what I kept saying in my head. :) We followed the Japanese AWA ladies in their yellow yukata. We got lots of claps from the people watching the parade...some more of a little pity clap I think. "Look at the Americans, good try." I'm sure our dances were much simpler than the other groups dancing!
And what do you do at a festival after you are done performing! Drink of course! And sweat, a lot! It was in the upper 90s and over 100 a few days that week!
Ann found lots of uses for the yukata. Beer and chi-hi storage! Since the bus dropped us off at the gym on base when we were finished AND the O'Club is closer than the house...we continued our drinking in our yukata. Tommy and Maki were a little confused at first.
The last picture is with the Atsugi Base Commanding Officer and Executive Officer. There were performing with the JMSDF groups in the parade as well! Such a fun night, but I was happy to get home and get that yukata and obi off!
We had to wear a traditional summer yukata during our performance. Of course, our yukata are red, white and blue! On Saturday's performance there were about 50 Americans. We had to meet early to have someone dress us in our yukata. It's more complicated than it looks, but the red obi has a pre-made bow so we don't have to worry about that. It just ties around our waist. My shoes are white and Nicole's are red because I had to order man shoes. Darn you Japan and your land of tiny tiny people and feet!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Bon Odori Festival
Saturday was the Atsugi Base Bon Odori Festival. The festival went on all day with bands (for example, a Japanese Led Zepplin tribute band) and the Japanese portion of the festival started around 5 pm. I waited til then to go because it was so bloody hot all day that it is pretty unbearable until the sun goes down. This is Lauren, Catherine and myself.The festival started with a Yokohama high school taiko drum group and an intro from the base CO (his Japanese left something to be desired, sorry sir). Then the Bon Odori dancing began! Here's a video of the American group doing one of their dances. They have been practicing for two months now. I think next summer I am going to do it as well. It's a lot of work and an expensive yukata (cotton, summer kimono) but it will be a neat experience I think.
The stage they made for the dancers looked awesome once the sun set and the lights came on. Whoever organized the festival did a great job. I heard from many of my students that they had a good time. For events like this, they gates are opened so that anyone can come on base (albeit in a restricted area with guards cutting off all the streets that are inaccessible). It's a good friendship opportunity for military in Japan. The only thing that would have made it better is fireworks. What kind of festival doesn't have fireworks?
Our XO's wife danced in the festival this year. Here she is with her senseis.
Most of the children around here dressed up in their yukata as well. Pretty darn cute.
Especially baby C.
I also enjoyed that fact that because it was on base you could bring any food or drinks that you wanted. Hello chu-his and wine! It just had to be in a non-glass container. How cute are these plastic wine glasses of Heather's? I need to get some of my own! I can tell she is from Florida and goes to the beach a lot.
I'm excited for next years! It's just too bad Obon week falls during August when the guys are gone. Another thing to add to the list that they miss. I guess that's what pictures are for. We're now talking less days than the date of my birthday that Glenn comes home! Getting so anxious! Why are the last weeks the hardest?
Our XO's wife danced in the festival this year. Here she is with her senseis.
Most of the children around here dressed up in their yukata as well. Pretty darn cute.
Especially baby C.
I also enjoyed that fact that because it was on base you could bring any food or drinks that you wanted. Hello chu-his and wine! It just had to be in a non-glass container. How cute are these plastic wine glasses of Heather's? I need to get some of my own! I can tell she is from Florida and goes to the beach a lot.
I'm excited for next years! It's just too bad Obon week falls during August when the guys are gone. Another thing to add to the list that they miss. I guess that's what pictures are for. We're now talking less days than the date of my birthday that Glenn comes home! Getting so anxious! Why are the last weeks the hardest?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
