Matsuri

060918, Monday

My friends and I went to see a festival close by. It never ceases to amaze me how great Japan is at combining old preserved traditions with the latest modern technology. Once feeling the city pulse you only have to walk for a couple of minutes to find a shrine. We enjoyed matsuri food like yakisoba, takoyaki and okonomiyaki. In the beginning we stood in admiration as we watched the men and women performing bon odori (a dance). After a while though the temptation grew too big so we joined them in this dance. It is quite tricky if you have never tried it before, as it was in my case. However, once you get started and get some of the foot work right it is rather fun!