Atsui Matsuri (con't)

After the parade was over, we (Amy, Courtney, Tyler) walked around town checking out the rest of the festivities. There were some Okinawan traditional matial art/dance,



and taiko.



I had a squid on a stick for dinner. It was covered in soysauce, much like alot of different BBQed foods in all the booths. At 500yen, it was ridiculously expensive for such a small portion. We met up with some other people at this restaurant, but I was so tired I just left around 8:30pm.

The streets were packed! And people were screaming over each other in loudspeakers. The road in front of the station were lined with these 20 foot tall wooden antennaes drapped lanterns, about two per block. This is the best way I could describe it, but see for yourself.



This one is apparently sponsored by the Tottori Bank. Over the past week I have seen these guys practicing with these lantern antennaes in front of the train station, taking turns balancing them on hand, elbow, shoulder, chin, etc. Considering the wind this was an impossibly difficult feat, and these candle-lit lanterns fall down into the spectators constantly,



Here are more underexposed shots with faux action photo flavor.




I remember thinking the whole thing ridiculous at the time. The only motivation, as far as I can discern, for this whole balancing activity seemed to be the difficulty and the danger of it. But now that I think about it, this whole tradition of getting wooden antennaes up and balancing them against the wind has a strangely sexual undertone. I guess it's not much stranger than the ESPN Outdoor games.

Anyway, I stuck around for a few photos and that was it. Went back home and passed out.

The next day was pretty much all rained out until late afternoon. Met up with Courtney and Tyler and climbed up to the castle ruins to watch the firework (hanabi, flower fire) in Yonago pier. For the entire duration of the firework Courtney and Tyler were obsessed with taking pictures of the explosives. I didn't want to get all pedagogical and tell them what was really on my mind. Turning precious metals and explosives into oohs and aahs is meant to be a celebration of fleeting moments, and taking pictures of it just seemed contrary to the spirit of the whole thing. Plus, our digital cameras aren't really up to the task anyway. Bam, boom, blah, and that was it. Went home and slept because I had an early day tomorrow at Sakaiminato.