Over 400 000 people are expected to come over the few days that the festival Azabu Juuban.

Summer is festival time in Japan. And all over the place too. I went last night to the Azabu Juuban festival in Roppongi. Squeezed in between the fashionable Roppongi Hills and the notorious night club district thousands of people had come for some of that festival stuff. Going to a festival is fun, and there are a lot of them through out the year, and all over the country. Chances are good to see one if you come to Japan. Read more on the 4 things that you always find at a Japanese festival, the Azabu Juban festival being no exception:

1. Street stalls that sell food. Festivals is about the only time the Japanese eat food in the street. Getting a hot dog on the corner on your way to the next meeting is not very Japanese. When there is a festival it is a different story. The standard food is fried noodles, karage (chicken), everything that can be grilled, variations of the okonomiyaki (thick pancake with food in it). Notably are also seasonal and regional specialities. Corn and tomatoes are popular now. Try some different things, it is cheap and very fresh.

Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, a whole grilled fish or maybe some grilled octopus? (Click for larger)

2. Drinking. Beer on tap, beer in cans, bottles and barrels of sake. Wine and drinks. It is all sold and drunk everywhere at a festival. Coming from a country with strict laws on this it is for me still exotic and relaxing.

3. It’s a fancy dress party. Specially for women and children. Not everyone does it, but with hundreds of people robed in the summer yukata (thin kimono) the feeling of being at a very nice party makes it a special occasion. In summer the men usually wear the more relaxed version with shorts instead of full the full robe.

4. A traditional ceremony. A procession of men carrying a religious artefact. Usually elaborately decorated in gold. With that a marching band, or rather chariots with drummers and musicians playing the traditional instruments.

Technorati Tags: festival, Japan, Roppongi

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