[遊記] 大阪：生國魂神社夏祭

[hemels (甲賀弦之介)]

圖文英文版：http://tinyurl.com/p64a6p4

We returned our rental car this morning. The gas station we went
to had a brilliant way of saving space in a crowded city.
The gas tanks were *above us*!


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9014.jpg

The staff was amused when I explained to him that this does not
happen in the US.

We walked to 生国魂神社 (Ikutama Jinja) which is beginning its 2-day
summer festival today. Called いくたま　夏祭り (Ikutama natsu matsuri),
it is one of the three major festivals in Osaka. Participants of
the festival include many local school kids and volunteers, and
the event is highly enjoyed by locals, as it will become apparent
later in the evening.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9022.jpg


During the morning, things were still in preparation and the shrine
 was relatively quiet. But outside you could already see tons of
food and game stands setting up.

We passed by kids from the nearby Ikutama Kindergarten. They're a
cute bunch! >///<


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9025.jpg


We briefly left Ikutama to go to Osaka's equivalent of 秋葉原 (Akihabara).
Here it is the main strip of 日本橋 (Nipponbashi) that has all the
video games, manga/anime, and electronics.

A PS Vita here seems to be cheaper. I got a brand new one (Wifi-only)
for 19800 Yen (~198 USD). On Amazon it's 247 USD right now. I also
got some second-handed PS Vita games. This place is a second-hand
game heaven!

Of course, a visit to the manga store is inevitable. I'm more of an
anime than manga fan these days though, probably because I like
listening to seiyuus >///<

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9033.jpg


Around 5PM, the festivities return to the shrine.

First are the kid's taiko (子供太鼓）:


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9043.jpg

They were first carried on trucks (as they have toured around the city
earlier in the day), then, as they approach the shrine, the taiko cart
is pushed by men.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9061.jpg

The procession is succeeded by other returning marches.

Here is the kid's lion dance (獅子舞/Shishimai):


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9145.jpg


The dancing lions are accompanied by fan wielding dancers:


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9151.jpg


In the center stage, there is constant drumming of the
makura taiko (枕太鼓):

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9106.jpg


So far, I have been trying to write this blog using as few pictures
as possible. Yet today the only the way to convey the atmosphere
is by showing what the locals look like on this day.


Little kids were dressed up in bright colored kimonos and yukatas:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9049.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9078.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9087.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9120.jpg


While participants of the festival are clad in bright colored uniforms:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9080.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9102.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9147.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9129.jpg


Around 6PM, the place was bustling with activity.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9178.jpg


This only got more so as people got off school and work and are now at
 the festival with their friends and family:


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9184.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9190.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9191.jpg


The highlight of the evening is 枕太鼓お練り (makura taiko oneri).
The taiko is fixed to the cart with three drummers *standing* on either
side. As such, people can push and pull the cart around while the
 drummers continue to play the taiko.


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9227.jpg

At first the men only pulled the cart around the shrine. But then they
started to *attack* the cart! They jump on one end to force it to tilt,
then violently pull it down from the other end like a see saw.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9247.jpg

Yet the drumming continued as if they had never left the center stage.

In a few instances, the men spun it around and around:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9256.jpg


Again the drumming remains constant.

Now the men topple the cart and it falls to the ground! The drummers
hold on to the rope behind their standing seat while drumming with
their other hand. They never missed a beat and continued to chant
at the top of their lungs.


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9252.jpg


Finally, after what seemed like a lot of cart torture, the taiko
returns to the center stage.  Now they can drum some more without
falling on top of each other :)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9276.jpg


A lot of the drummers look really young. Some of the local folks
behind me were saying that they were high school students.


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9278.jpg


This was my first time experiencing a summer shrine festival, and it
was definitely an eye opener. I loved that a lot of kids and young
folks performed. It just showed how the locals were contributing
to keeping a local tradition. And then there's all that delicious
food outside that I stuffed myself with!


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47842021/2013%20Japan/IMG_9301.jpg








--
 Stultior stulto fuisti, qui tabellis crederes! 

http://blog.pixnet.net/Miska

--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) 
◆ From: 1.115.192.185
噓 yoyo830917:看不懂啦！
推 neilan:你看不懂也用不著噓人家吧？
推 yellma510:補推～不要因為寫英文就噓人家吧　雖然我也看不太懂
→ yellma510:而且他的照片拍的不錯阿～　看不懂字看圖也不錯阿！
推 potent:一樓好兇.... XDDDD
推 zomb12:照片拍很棒+1
→ zomb12:不過PO英文版應該是有什麼理由才對,這點說明一下也許可以
→ zomb12:避掉一些莫名的誤會,(另外其實英文不難懂~~)
推 jerrylin:1F英文爛有必要這麼心虛嗎
→ hemels:這寫英文是因為我大部分朋友現在都是美國人 我貼在臉書上
→ hemels:寫中文沒人看得懂....
→ hemels:哈但是還是想要分享一下圖 畢竟我去的行程很多版上遊記已有
→ SoFluffy:應該是說 PTT上實在很難閱讀英文= = 就算看得懂我也END..