Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.715

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Hello, This is Mitsue writing. How are you doing? Are you enjoying kimono life?

Well, do you have THINGS TO DO list of your private life? I have a list of 10 things to do for this decade. Visiting 'Kaze no Bon' is one of them, and it finally realized last month.
'Kaze no Bon' is a Japanese festival held every year from September 1 to 3 in Yatsuo city, Toyama prefecture. It literally means "Bon Dance of the Wind."
This festival, having a history of about 300 years, is recently becoming a popular tourist attraction. Originally it was held in order to appease typhoons and allow for a bountiful harvest of rice.

http://visit-toyama.com/festivals/000036.html

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What makes this festival so unique is that it is held at night. The streets are decorated with paper lanterns, and long rows of young men and women walk and dance to the music. This music played with traditional instrument called kokyu, shamisen and shakuhachi are so melancholic. Aged men and women's voice accompanies to the music. They are all wearing Yukata with black obi.
Dancer's faces are covered by low-brimmed straw hats to hide them from the anger of God of typhoon.
One more special feature of the dancers is that they are all unmarried of under 25 years old!

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The old-fashioned streets and winding stairs of the small town make the festival quite fascinating, and the dark atmosphere takes us to a mysterious world of the ancient. Well, I had good time enjoying music and dance, except the long ride of bus. It took about 7 hours from Osaka, and my friend was sleeping all the way. When the bus stopped at the rest area, she woke up and had some snacks and went back to sleep again! So she gained 2 kg during these 2 days. Yes, this is just one of things which often happens. Ha ha ha.....Well, how is your THINGS TO Do list going well?
Have you ever visited Japanese traditional festival? We have some pieces with traditional festival design. Please enjoy having a look! Thank you for reading.

Nagoya obi

This obi has the motif of Owara Kaze no Bon! So impressive and pretty!

www.ichiroya.com