Japanese people work a lot - that's a common knowledge. The time spent in the office very often isn't quiet that productive though. But the truth is, social pressure makes Japanese work to the limits.
Many civilisation diseases "made in Japan", like hikikomori (isolation from society) or karoshi (dead from overwork), are caused by this unimaginable for an European style of life.
This is why "a day off" stands for "euphoria".
Street festivals (matsuri) basing on shinto religion (like this one), are very popular all over the country.
Selected participants, especially dressed, go out on the streets, carrying portable shrines called o-mikoshi.
No need to mention huge amounts of beer and sake are being consumed during the parades.
O-mikoshi - a small shrine placed on the stand in shape of sedan chair.
Tabi is more of a sock than a shoe. They come in a soft version (just tabi) as well as with hard vinyl sole (odori tabi).
Theater actors and traditional dancers use them for their performance.
After everything is arranged, positions fixed and energy cumulated, the big march begins.
The chosen ones carrying o-mikoshi start walking - laughing, singing and... lurching a little.
Nothing can stop the happy crowd from squeezing into a tiny street where regular traffic is normally shuttle.
Sometimes someone will loose his balance and land on the fish or fruit stall, but no matter... that's the price of the game.
The label says Ai Ai Ro-do - the Love Road. Japanese English again: ro-do - road.
O-mikoshi squeezes through like a tank and stops for no one.
The affix "o" is added due to show special respect for a person or an object.
Here is another example: o-chime-sama (princess). Apart from "o" another way of showing respect has been used here - "sama" is a more polite than "san".
Kids celebrate as well. Under teacher's supervision they pull their own small version of o-mikoshi.
Good mood makes people open for gaijin's camera. I didn't have to tell twice to pose for me.
They took an (in)appropriate pose of celebrating Japanese, screaming "crazy Japanese!"
This is a tuna. One big fish.
Every Sunday afternoon this local shop organizes the show of cutting tuna. The clerk assures this is the fish of finest quality as it has been caught in Japanese sea. For Japanese everything that comes from Japan is the best.
If it comes to fish and beef I totally agree with the opinion.
- Anyone keen for chopping the head off?
The master cutter comes with his ultra-sharp knife and opens the tuna. Actually it is ready to eat now. You can put a slice on vinegar soaked rice making sushi or eat it only with soy sauce and wasabi as sashimi.
The knife is made from two materials - high carbon steel and soft iron forged together. Just like samurai sword.
If this is tuna meet what do we find canned in supermarkets?
Everyone seems to be interested, old and young.
The tuna is ready to be sold. Even though the price is high (2500 JPY for a piece, like one on the picture below), many are interested.
Itadakimasu!!!
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