August 8, 2009
Japan Experience 2009 Day 14 - Portable Shrine Festival!
On Saturday starting at the back of the school was a portable shrine festival in which Eliza, Chelsea, M'Lissa, Sara and Vincent participated in with many local residents plus students and teachers from the school.
Here is the Kodomo Shrine (Kid's Shrine) that the students helped carry. 'Wushuu' is what everyone is shouting in unison to keep the spirits up. This shrine, plus a much large adult's shrine and a huge drum, were part of the festival which is for bringing good luck to the community.
The students with Richard Sensei and Era Sensei during a break.
This is the large adult shrine which was carried by several school sport's clubs.
Two older gentleman who were guiding the big portable shrine and who kept saying thank you to the foreign students for participating.
Every 20 minutes, everyone stopped in front of a business or apartment complex where there were many local people out who had prepared snacks, drinks, and especially huge watermelons for the participants to feed on!
The adult's large shrine being carried - Sunday too it will be taken by more people on a different course! Sometimes when it passed people's houses, someone would come out with an envelope of money to pass to an attendant, as they pay for the shrine to bless their home with good luck. This is done by the group stopping and holding the shrine high up in the air and shaking it vigorously!
At the end of the 2-1/2hrs we ended up back at the school for more drinks plus delicious curry & rice. For sure next year's Japan Experience will add this event as part of the regular program!