常盤平さくらまつり2017年 Tokiwadaira Sakura Festival – Japan

Posted on April 2, 2017

Really enjoyed this weekend’s Cherry Blossom Festival in Tokiwadaira, Chiba. Here are some photos. Hopefully they would provide an idea about the spirit of this festivity attended by thousands of people over the last two days. There was ample amount of food of any kind. Children got their share playing games and winning small plastic toys. It was a happy Saturday and Sunday for all, away from daily choirs and duties.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Preparing for the parade.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Carrying this heavy Omikoshi requires strength and coordination. It also requires a healthy amount of sake.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Let’s get this Omikoshi moving. Many are there to help, even if only through mental support.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – fitting such a parade through all these people and narrow sakura dori is a work of art.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Ayu, a trout like fish seems to be the focus of attention even from the neighboring stand owner.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Colorful plastic things.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Barbecued Soba Noodles

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Hard work results in great food.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – All these choices…

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Air, sweet tasting trout like fish, is on the menu here.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – These guys for sure have the right matsuri spirit.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Cotton Candy !!!

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – These whistles were the same ages ago. The only difference is the built in blinking lights.

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Even Philadelphia Cheesesteaks are available

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – Don’t mess with the music!!!

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017

©Hans Nagl 2017 – 常盤平さくらまつり2017年　ーTokiwadaira Sakura Matsuri 2017 – One more round up-, and down the street. Beautiful sunny Sunday at the Matsuri.

Category: まつり, Festival, Food, Japan, Japanese Art, Photography, Shopping, Uncategorized, 日本 Tagged: #Art, #Blog, #experience, #Festival, #Food, #fun, #Happy, #Interesting, #Japan, #Japanese, #life, #Nikon, #Party, #Photography, #sake, #Sun, ＃まつり, ＃ニコン, ＃酒, ＃音楽, ＃食べ物, ＃２０１７, ＃常盤平, ＃日本, ＃桜

Watching a Dragon Come to Life

Posted on May 2, 2014

Imagine a theater stage where, at the beginning, all you see is large sheet of paper spanning from one side to the other with only a few cherry blossom pedals painted here and there. Then and artist, dressed in a beautiful kimono performs a magic show just with a few brush strokes. I never saw a modern Japanese calligraphy show except on TV and knew that I would be in for something new and powerful. Surely enough I was not disappointed. Syoka Kana drew everybody into her world of dragons, cherry blossoms and calligraphy. It is a silent art which became alive under Kana’s brush. It seemed like her characters started to sing and dance.

This shodo demonstration was organized by the Boston Japan Resource Exchange (JREX) and took place at International Community Church (ICC) in Boston.

I just heard that the final artwork will be on permanent display at the International Community Church in Boston (Please click on the link below for more information).