来年は平穏無事に
山鉾巡行が執り行われますように。
@祗園祭

名古屋港の夏の花火大会での写真です。

川越氷川神社の縁むすび風鈴

江戸三大祭の一つ「富岡八幡宮 例大祭」です。
早くコロナ禍が終わり、再び町の活気が溢れる暑い「江戸の夏」を体験したいです。

It's interesting how Japan has so many blue lakes. It's such a strange phenomenon. I'm not sure if the color in all of them is due to the same phenomenon, but the one in Biei is supposedly colored blue because of aluminum and other minerals that scatter sunlight in just the right way. I have a feeling this one isn't the same because the one in Biei was formed only after a dam was made, but I'm interested to learn what exactly causes it here. I actually hadn't heard of this blue lake before but Aomori has some really nice scenery so it's not too surprising. Also Shirakami-Sanchi is a UNESCO heritage site for a reason I suppose lol. I'd like to go see this and the Nebuta Festival in Aomori as that's supposed to be really awesome as well. Maybe it's possible to see them during the same visit?

秋田県「能代の花火」。昨年に続き今年も開催中止が決定しました。全国で花火大会の開催が延期・中止・規模を見直しての開催になっていることと思います。みんなが笑顔で夜空を見上げる事ができる時期が、早く訪れますように。

What an incredible photo, the coloring of the floats goes perfectly with the sunset and the clouds. What an awesome looking festival. I've never heard about Murakami Taisai, but it looks like it's about 400 years old now and some of the floats created 200 years ago are still used even today. I've never actually visited Niigata but it looks like a fun place. Just inconveniently placed I guess lol. Seeing cool photos like this though really makes me want to visit. This festival is in early July as well, so not too far off. Might be cool to visit and get some of the festival food I've been missing out on. Can always make yakisoba at home but it just never really hits the same as some made at a yatai!

織田信長が天下布武を発した岐阜城に沿って流れる長良川夜の宴。
この踊り舟は、岐阜長良川鵜飼が始まる前座として、夏から秋の週末に納涼の舞を演じます。
昨年は、残念ながら新型コロナウィルスの影響で、踊り子さんはフェイスシールドを装着して踊りました。
早くコロナ禍が終わり、何時もの長良川の夏の賑わいへと戻って欲しいです。

青森県十和田市で、桜が開花する頃に女性騎手だけで行われる流鏑馬大会です。
艶やかな和装姿の女性騎手は、弓を持ち、日本在来血統を継ぐ馬に載り、砂塵を揚げながら素早く駆けて三つの的を射貫きます。本来、流鏑馬は、神事として男子のみが行う行事ですが、21世紀の現代に相応しく、男女の性の差を廃止し、古から伝わる日本古来の武道・馬術の伝統を取り入れそれを後世に伝へ、艶やかな和装撫子が魅せる世界は、この土地へ訪れ観る価値あります。

【第4回「COOL JAPAN VIDEOS」フォトコンテスト-日本の春】で1000応募作で受賞6作品に選ばれ佳作受賞しました。【春ヲ射る】

青森県十和田市で、桜が開花する頃に女性騎手だけで行われる流鏑馬大会です。昨年度は、新型コロナウィルスの影響で中止と成りましたが、今年はコロナ対策を講じて開催しました。本州北端に桜前線が到達するのは、大体4月中半過ぎ。艶やかな和装姿の撫子が繰り広げる流鏑馬大会は、桜前線と共にこの地に春到来を告げます。

青森県十和田市で、桜が開花する頃に女性騎手だけで行われる流鏑馬大会です。
艶やかな和装姿の女性騎手は、弓を持ち、日本在来血統を継ぐ馬に載ると、砂塵を揚げながら駆けて素早く三つの的を射貫きます。今年の大会は、桜散る情緒ある大会でした。

青森県十和田市で、桜が開花する頃に女性騎手だけで行われる流鏑馬大会です。昨年度は、新型コロナウィルスの影響で中止と成りましたが、今年はコロナ対策を講じて開催しました。本州北端に桜前線が到達するのは、大体4月中半過ぎ。艶やかな和装姿の撫子が繰り広げる流鏑馬大会は、桜前線と共にこの地に春到来を告げます。

照明に照らし出された弘前城と、日本一の誉れ桜の競演が見事に調和していました。桜祭りを企画してくれた弘前市民に、感謝！感謝！。

桜祭りでライトアップされた、青森県弘前公園の内濠の桜並木です。堀に映った桜並木が見事でした。

Aghhh! I wish I got to get out and see some beautiful illuminations this winter but with everything happening in the world it wasn't exactly possible. Really wanted to check out the one in Hibiya but next year will have to do. I know a lot of events were canceled this winter as well but things can hopefully start opening up again as vaccines start rolling out around the country. Slow process for now, but hopefully it starts to speed up soon. I'd like to visit some flower parks this spring, I know there are a few that have illuminations as well and my girlfriend would love to visit them and see the cherry blossoms and wisteria, so if everything goes well hopefully we'll get the chance. That and I'm seriously missing going out to festivals, so hopefully we can get some of those soon!

Whoa! Now those are some fireworks! Holy crud, this is insane. I don't think I've ever seen fireworks this bright and colorful and I've been to the Omagari Fireworks Festival before! Didn't know that Mie had such amazing fireworks. All of the good fireworks festivals are so far away from Tokyo ?. Just more reason to explore other areas of Japan though I suppose. Apparently this is the Kihoku Lantern Festival too so I'd get to see some beautiful lanterns on the water as well. Hopefully I can get out some this summer, been cooped up indoors for way too long at this point, and I'm starting to miss the fresh nippon breeze ?. Hopefully spring comes somewhat early this year so I can see some cherry blossoms and drink some plum wine while barbecuing lol!

艶のある日

京都にて

Ahhhh! I've got to see Soma Nomaoi. It looks cooler and cooler the more I hear about it. Sending signals with a conch is super cool. It sounds like something that you'd hear about in a myth or folklore, but the fact that this was actually used is really interesting. A bit of a tangent, but it's awesome seeing all of the different helmet styles used in Japan. It's not exactly something unique to Japan, but Japan definitely has some of the coolest looking styles. This one kind of reminds me of traditional Japanese lacquerware and I like how it's very sleek and practical. Hopefully I'll be able to check this out this year. I want to visit Fukushima anyways so it'd be great if I could get it all to line up!

Awesome photo. I've heard of Soma-Nomaoi before. I really want to check it out actually and see all the horse races and stuff. I guess they do drills that were used by the military back in the day which would be really cool to watch as well. I'm a huge fan of horseback archery and archery in general so if they have that that'd be awesome as well. I didn't know there were portable shrines as well. I'd have to read up more on the festival but it definitely looks interesting. I have a friend over in Fukushima Prefecture so if I could get out there and meet them when this is happening it'd be awesome. Hopefully corona has settled down by July, but if not then I guess there's always next year. I'll have to eat some tasty festival food somewhere else I guess ?

Ahhh I love watching these kinds of videos. Getting to see food truck/food stall vendors make food is just so organic. It's nice since I'm not able to travel much these days as well (not that anybody is really). I've never had gohei mochi, let alone heard of it before, but it reminds me of Akita's Kiritanpo. I think the last food truck item I got was ツブ, snail I guess? I didn't even know that until now lol. My girlfriend loved it, I was a bigger fan of the bacon that went with it. Really hoping I can visit another food stall again soon though as I really miss the yakisoba that they make. The yakisoba from the convenience store is alright, but it doesn't really hold a candle to the food stalls ?. Just gonna have to keep waiting until it's okay to travel again though. Until then I'm gonna keep watching videos to stay sane lol!

浜のコンテストでした！
優勝出来ませんでしたが凄い楽しかったです！
味噌六大太鼓が打ててとても気持ちよかったです！！

日本には沢山の火縄銃があります。

しかし、その土地ごとに銃の形が違うので色々な博物館、演武団体を見るのも面白いです。

銃には細かな模様や象嵌が入っているのもあり、美術品としても美しい物があります。

福島県相馬地方で7月に開催される相馬野馬追。
騎馬武者の勇ましさと神事の静かさがあります。

福島県相馬地方で7月に開催される相馬野馬追。
騎馬武者の勇ましさと神事の静かさがあります。

火縄銃には2箇所に火薬を入れます。
玉を飛ばす用の発射用火薬。
発射用火薬に点火させる口薬。

この写真は火縄の火が火皿の口薬に点火した瞬間です。

火縄銃の練習風景。
海外では大砲と呼ばれる口径の銃を侍は手に持って撃っていた。

福島県南相馬市で活動している弓術の演武。
スポーツの弓道とは違い実戦的な昔の射ち方が特徴です。

愛知県新城市で行われている設楽ヶ原決戦場まつり。
福島県で活動している我々も状態してもらい演武を行いました。

三重県紀北燈籠祭の花火。
ここの目玉の彩色千輪という花火ですが、
カラフルな花が空も川も染め上げます。

福島県相馬地方で7月に開催される相馬野馬追。

人も馬も気が荒ぶっているので迫力があります。