The third Tohoku Rokkonsai (which I call the Tohoku Rock On Festival) was held in Fukushima City on the weekend, and it was awesome. It was great to see a sample of the six major festivals of the Tohoku summer in one place. 第３回の東北六魂祭が６月１～２日福島市で開催され、両日のパレードはもちろん、色々な広場もその雰囲気を満喫してきました(^-^)東北の６大祭りの様子を一度に観れるなんて、最高でした。仙台七夕まつり以外は全部が初めてでした(σ・∀・)σ
上の写真がパレードの開始前に待機中で撮ったものです。主催者の方がパスを渡してくださったお陰で近くで沢山の素敵な写真を撮れました。This pic was taken a couple of hours before the parade (the main attraction). Thanks goes to the organisers for the pass which enabled pics up close.
The next pics are of the air show which marked the opening of the festival, put on by the Blue Impulse team of jets based in Matsushima. Their base was inundated by the tsunami of March 2011 but they re-established themselves there at the end of March this year.
初日に１４時から松島基地所属のブルーインパルスが４号線の上で２０分ほどのすごいパフォーマンスを見せてくれました(・∀・)今年３月末に松島基地へ帰還されたそうです。今後のスケジュールはこちら↓ Below is their upcoming schedule (in Japanese).
http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/pr_report/blueimpulse/schedule/
ハートマークも！
The next ones are of the Akita Kanto festival. They did their thing in several locations along the Route 4 strip. It was a very windy day and it was interesting to see the men balance the poles on their foreheads or shoulders. A couple of videos can be seen at the official festival website below, and more information in English about the poles etc. and the festival itself can be seen if you click on the English tab at the top.
http://www.kantou.gr.jp/index.htm
秋田竿燈まつり↓強い風をものともせずに上手にやってくれました＼(^_^)／
The next ones are of the Fukushima Waraji festival which was the start of the parade. They led as Fukushima City was the host city for this third round of Rock On. (It was held in Sendai in 2011 and Morioka in 2012).
福島わらじまつり↓ 開催される市のお祭りでパレードの先頭でやってきました♪
↓This is the 12 metre waraji which was carried by the men. The little ones in front were carried by the kids o(^-^)o
Fukushima Waraji festival website is here. http://www.fmcnet.co.jp/waraji/
(in Japanese)
Next was the Hanagasa festival which takes place in Yamagata Prefecture.
山形花笠まつり↓
Festival website is here http://www.hanagasa.jp/
Next up was the Sendai Tanabata festival. In front is a man dressed as Masamune Date, a feudal lord who founded the modern city of Sendai. The Sendai Tanabata festival is famous for its hundreds of bamboo poles decorated with colourful streamers, and the Suzume dance. I went to the Sendai Tanabata festival last year every day over its three days, as I lived near Sendai station last summer. Pics of that can be seen at this link from my facebook. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151012001438068.433390.597743067&type=1&l=1813d15043
↓が仙台七夕まつりだけど上のリンクは去年８月上旬に開催された本祭りで撮った写真があるＦＢリンクです。当時仙台駅に近く住んでいて３日連続観にいきました(^_^)v
Festival website is here http://www.sendaitanabata.com/
Next was the Sansa Odori from Morioka. Very colourful and rythmic.
盛岡さんさ踊り↓
上の写真などが日曜日の朝にJapanTodayのトップページに載せてもらいました☆彡 The pic above was used by Japan Today for their Pic of the Day on Sunday. Thanks to JT for putting that and a number of other ones up.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/view/rock-on
↑カメラの操作を間違って撮った写真みたいですけどそれでも良い写真になったと！This one above was not taken quite right but good result I think.
These girls were quite fired up. 盛り上がりました(*^o^)乂(^-^*)
Festival website is here http://www.sansaodori.jp/
I uploaded a video of the Sansa Odori onto youtube. The video quality has dropped but the sound is fine.
撮ったさんさ踊りの動画をyoutubeへアップしてみたら画質は落ちたが音質は大丈夫です☆ぜひ見てみてください♪
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YcSmw5vQPo
Next was a float from the Nebuta Matsuri, a festival held in Aomori. The floats are yet more impressive in the night when they are lit up. Festival website is here http://www.nebuta.or.jp/
青森ねぶた祭↓
↓山車が広場で休憩していました。 The next few pics are of the float where it was kept in between the parades.
↓会津娘を飲みました(*^o^*) Nearby there was some very nice Fukushima sake.
↓The festival below is a local Fukushima one which was taking place on the same weekend not far from the main venues. 福島山車フェスタという祭りも両日に行われました。
↑やーれやーれやれ！って。笛の子と踊っていた男も居て迫力があるお祭りです。The people at the top of the float shouted out while men danced below. Girls playing the flute and kids playing the drums in the base of the float added to the impressive scene.
The next pics are were taken in one of the food stall areas. うまいもの広場↓
↑友達がステーキを食べました(o^-')b Mate had local steak.
↑More fine Fukushima sake.
↑This is sea urchin, grilled in shells.
Yaetan, the mascot below, is based on the leading lady of a feudal drama currently airing on Sundays, set in Fukushima in the mid-19th century.
There were various stage performances as well. The pic below was of the wrap-up at the end of the first day.
Below is the facebook page for the Rock On festival. A handful of my photos are there as are translations of some captions that came in over the two days. The organisers posted messages in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. 次のリンクが東北六魂祭の公式ＦＢページです。私が撮った写真の何枚か、そして写真に関する文の英訳も入っています。主催者が日本語、英語、中国語と韓国語で伝えていきました。https://www.facebook.com/rokkonsai
http://www.rokkon.jp/ ←こちらが東北六魂祭の公式ホームページです。 This is the webpage for the festival.
The fourth Rock On festival is in the planning stages but should be held in Yamagata Prefecture around the same time next year. And I will be there!
第４回の東北六魂祭が来年山形市で開催されると思います。
行きますよー(*＾ー＾)ノ