This is the Noboribetsu Hell Festival. It can be seen in late August. This is by far one of the best festivals I have ever been too. This one is to "celebrate" hell valley (our active volcanic area). It has ema-sama as the lead star, and he comes down at the end of the night and talks about taking out your toungue, if you lie. He is pulled down by demons and before this there is even an oni dance in which people dress in crazy costumes and dance the oni dance. I luckily got to be apart of the oni dance. :)
At festivals, there are usually games, Taiko (Japanese drums), music, and dancing, as well as other performances. Festivals are a great way to see the more fun loving side of Japanese people. Its really the one time that its ok to be completely drunk, and walking around the streets. In the picture my friend is trying hard at a game, in which you try to caught goldfish. The net used though is made of paper, and therefore breaks easy in water. It's much harder then it looks.
This is a picture of another famous Noboribetsu Festival. This on is in mid February.
I loved it, even if it was VERY cold to stand and watch. This festival is called yukake matsuri (or Throwing Hot Water Festival). This festival starts with a dance in which a man and a women dance and make a baby while the man hold a HUGE phallic in his hands. Then they make mochi and finally two teams come out and play horse while hitting each other with hot spring water.
