Japan International Balloon Fiesta (saga) 佐賀インターナショナルバルーンフェスタ

A trip to Saga-ken, Japan for the 10th annual International Balloon Festival held in November 2010. The five-day festival received over 500,000 visitors and had contestants from Switzerland, America, Sweden, China, among other countries. On the fourth day of the festival, mother nature provided a beautiful sunset as balloons came into the landing area. Being there felt like being in some alternate reality fantasy novel where balloons were the main form of air transport and the Hindenburg had never gone up in flames. It was an amazing sight! The night fantasia at night where the balloons light up to music was wonderful too. Enjoy the pictures and video.

For more information on the festival visit the following link: http://www.sibf.jp/

1st track Sean Wright - Naked Shoulders
2nd track Adragante - Kerridwen

Bonfire Festival

A recap of my recent trip to Dondo Yaki--aka "dangerous and you might catch on fire" festival in Kyushu, Japan. Oh and I cook mochi over a huge bonfire using a 10 meter pole too. Woot.

Inferno

大分県大野町で取った「インフェルノ」という写真。

Rain of Fire

大分県大野町で取った「火の雨」という写真。

Furnace

大分県大野町で取った「窯」という写真。

Festival of Flames

大分県大野町で取った「炎の祭り」という写真。

A Sea of Lights

This month, I had the opportunity to attend two bamboo light festivals. One called Takeyoi Festival and the other Chikuraku Festival. This post collects a number of photos I took at Chikuraku Festival, my favorite of the two. The festivals consisted of over 10,000 bamboo stalks cut into various lenghts and bound together in numerous designs.

In areas of high concentration, one would feel a slight floating sensation as is depicted in the above and below photos.

On the various paths throughout the town that lea up to the castle and temples, bamboo candles were lined up along the steps making the stairs impassable, but the result was stunning.

Certain temples and shops added their own flair to the standard grouping of three stalks tied together. The flowers below were stunning.

Between the main groupings of candles and 'main' sights you could find groups of candles leading you to the next destination. They had their own charm too.

These two festivals were magical (幻想) and my favorite so far in Japan. I will definitely be returning each year as long as I am in the area.

Warmth and Fireflies

It has been raining for the past three days, and it looks like the steady pitter patter of raindrops will continue for at least one more day.  Tropical storm Jangmi is making its presence felt even as it skirts the Chinese coast with Taiwan and its class 3 status behind it.  The above picture brings back the warmth and waning summer breeze of the Stone Buddha Fire Festival I attended in Usuki a month back.  This picture always makes be think of s'mores and camping.  Enjoy and if you have pleasant weather, I hope you are making the best of it.

Of Lanterns and Fire

I have been attending quite a few end of summer festivals lately, and the majority of them have involved fire and/or laterns of some kind.  Here are three different photos from three different festivals.

Laterns at the Tanabata Matsuri in Oita City, Oita

Takoyaki Latern at Inukai's local matsuri

Fire basket at Usuki's Stone Budha Fire Festival

Taiko and Tubetops

Raiden is a festival for the man and women in all of us, respectively. Every year, the people of Mie-Machi in Oita-Ken reenact the spirit of man and spirit of woman coming down from their two mountains to yell at each other. Its a celebration of the two sexes and is a splendid festival that involves a lot of taiko, dancing, and glowing floats. It occured at the tail end of summer in the month of August.

Episode 03

Here is episode 03 of the Gaijin Guide, coming to you with a big box of chocolates because its Valentine's Day. Listen to learn all about Nara Park, the Fertility Festival I attended, and Valentine's Day in Japan. Make sure to check out the accompanying video to see the highlights of the Fertility Festival with your own eyes. You will not regret it, especially if your watch the end of the video, its hilarious. You can get the episode here