We threw Jim out of Aga and he landed in Muramatsu, the next town over, and since the people are so nice they invited him to be part of the town's festival (no I haven't been asked to join any...grrr). Anyhow, a few of us went to watch him in his big debut. The festival was a Shinto festival where the gods leave the town's shrines and enter mini portable shrines. The mini portable shrine with the gods are then bounced around for three days on the shoulders of sweating citizens to the shouts of WASHOI, WASHOI. After the three days they are dramatically returned to the shrine amidst a blackout and some eerie chanting by the priests. Many people were showing there strength by walking around barefoot and let me tell you with the amount of bugs scrambling around on the ground I would not enter that competition.
This is one of the town elders who had the priviledge of witnessing the return of the gods from within the shrine. He also walked us ten minutes out of his way to guide us to a restaurant.
One of the mini shrines absent of the gods.
Jimbo in his fancy costume. On the back of his happi is the kanji for his area which is "shindo" or new road.
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