Gonohe Summer Festival

Sunday, September 5

Summer festivals occur in every Japanese town. If one plans carefully, a summer festival can be viewed every weekend. Festivals usually transpire over 3-4 days. Groups of dancers, taiko drummers, mikoshi, and dashi stroll through the town’s main street. Local neighborhoods decorate dashi (a festival float with wheels) with flowers, dolls and traditional Japanese icons. Most parades have a theme that must be incorporated into the float design, which they are judged. During the parade, men, women, and children pull these heavy floats for spectators to view.

Misawa Base host families

Labor Day weekend customarily marks the end of summer. So it seemed fitting that we too we attended our last summer festival in Gonohe City. We wouldn’t have known about it; however, the city office invited those from Kyle’s command who hosted exchange English students to attend the celebration. It appeared that this year’s theme centered around Hayao Miyazaki, because I could see different characters (cat from Kiki’s Delivery Service, black spots from Spirited Away, Ponyo, and Totoro, etc.) conspicuously mounted onto each float. Most summer festival floats resemble Hachinohe’s Sansha Tasai festival, but on smaller scale, but not less grandiose.

No one is too old to watch festivals. Surprisingly, people showed respect for these two ladies and didn't sit in front of them or block their view.

Elderly man 104 years old! Parade participants stopped and bowed to him as they marched on the street.

Tanabata themed float

Another parade float

Americans join dancing

Spirited Away float

Primary school children help pull floats

Goodbye summer

Misawa Summer Festival

Saturday, August 21: Mikoshi Carry

Misawa city’ s annual four-day summer festival lasted from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22. The parade route snakes through the downtown district, on “White Pole Road,” and passes American Park in front of Misawa Air Base. As with all matsuris that meander in front of the base, the front gate will be closed (17:00 to 21:00 on Friday; 15:00 to 21:00 on Saturday; and 13:00 to 15:00 on Sunday) for automobiles but open to foot traffic. Levitow Gate and the POL Gate will be open for vehicle traffic.

Each night of the parade varies slightly.

Thursday: Parade floats are on display at the Miss Veedol Dome at 17:00. Drum and flute competition follows at 18:00.

Friday: Floats will be paraded through downtown Misawa from 16:00 to 19:15.

Saturday: Traditional Japanese arts on display in American Park beginning at 13:00. A costume parade begins at 15:00, followed by a dance parade at 16:30, and hand-carried portable shrines (mikoshi) at 17:30 p.m.

Sunday: A repeat of Friday’s parade begins at 13:30.

Going out every weekend with children and battling with crowds through humidity has tired me out. Even though this parade was in our town, we only managed to attend the festivities Saturday night because Kyle participated in the mikoshi carry. If it weren’t for the heat wave, we probably would have gone to seen the floats displayed. Actually, by this time, almost all summer festival parades seem to contain the same components – entourage of dancers, men dressed in women's attire, and portable shires.

The costume parade on Saturday for some reason had Disney-themed participants. I don’t quite understand all the men dressed in drag during the parades. I know in old kabuki theatre, men played female roles too. Anyway, I wish I had taken more photos of the playful, wacky attire, but alas, I was maneuvering my double stroller and trying to secure a position where the kids and I could see Kyle in the parade.

More interesting than the parade were the activities that followed. All mikoshi participants gathered for a show-down at American Park. They transported the shrine to the circular stage, then proceeded to dance and spin it upon their shoulders wildly to music. Deafening whistles blowing and boisterous chants ensued as spectators cheered for their favorite groups. After several spin demonstrations, the Misawa International Association, with its base contestants, won the competition.

Male dancers

Female dancers

Mascot

Junior sumo group

In traditional sumo garb

Kendo demonstration

Mikoshi carry

Waiting to see dad in the parade

Misawa International Association Mikoshi

There's dad!

Another mikoshi

Taking a quick break

Misawa nebuta float (front)

Misawa nebuta float (back)