The summer is finally over. I can't say I am sorry to see it go though. Late August and early September are really hot. But Japan at the end of summer is also a fun experience. Basically the whole month of August (and normally the whole summer but with the earthquake and nuclear reactor and all...) is a big celebration of, well, summer and vacations and various other holidays.
For example, between July and September we have had the following holidays: Tanabata, Ocean Day, Obon, Respect for the Aged Day, and Autumn Equinox day (a very good day). This doesn't include the various festivals (of which there were many) that occur for no reason through out the summer, such as the Vietnam Festival of 2011 (except I saw more signs for Sri Lanka than Vietnam).
Here are some pictures of the various events that CoyLou (my lovely wife) and I have seen and experienced in just two weeks.
Live music from the Vietnam Festival
Random Headbangers (the video is kind of big). I missed the best part because there was this big build up and out of no where all the people standing in the front started head banging:
A sort of parade with a samurai and his horse:
Portable Shrine dancing. There were several groups of these people where they were marching around Shibuya with these portable shrines. We fully expected when two of these groups would meet, two guys from each group may have been called out to fight to the death, but we never found out...
For example, between July and September we have had the following holidays: Tanabata, Ocean Day, Obon, Respect for the Aged Day, and Autumn Equinox day (a very good day). This doesn't include the various festivals (of which there were many) that occur for no reason through out the summer, such as the Vietnam Festival of 2011 (except I saw more signs for Sri Lanka than Vietnam).
Here are some pictures of the various events that CoyLou (my lovely wife) and I have seen and experienced in just two weeks.
Live music from the Vietnam Festival
Random Headbangers (the video is kind of big). I missed the best part because there was this big build up and out of no where all the people standing in the front started head banging:
A sort of parade with a samurai and his horse:
Portable Shrine dancing. There were several groups of these people where they were marching around Shibuya with these portable shrines. We fully expected when two of these groups would meet, two guys from each group may have been called out to fight to the death, but we never found out...
