5 days of portable shrines (Taikodai), a LOT of men, sake and fun all around!

Last month I experienced my first Japanese Festival (Matsuri) in Saijo and Niihama. Everything began on Thursday morning (1 am). I personally didn’t feel like going anywhere at that time in the morning so I was asleep when my friends came knocking at my door to get ready to go… and I am so glad they came to get me! We walked to a shrine about 45 minutes away from my home along with the danjiris (portables shrines, covered with lanterns). They bring the danjiris up to the shrine and is incredibly beautiful to see all these shrines covered in lanterns coming up the hill. I have also never seen so many people in Saijo in the whole time I’ve lived here! It was crazy, and sake bottles were passed at me from all over the place. The festivities didn’t finish until 7:30 am, when we came back to my place, slept, ate, got rid of our hangovers and got ready for Day 2.

Keeping you posted!