Mitama Matsuri summer festival

Went with Kaoru & Shizuka to the Yasukuni Jinja shrine to attend the Mitama Matsuri Festival. According to Kaoru, the purpose of the festival is to "enshrine our Japanese ancestors". It was pretty fun although insanely jammed with people.


There were many, many food vendors along the main path.



The "catch a goldfish" game...


There was a pretty funny haunted house attraction. Lots of dudes in masks jumping out from behind corners and scaring the crap out of you. good stuff.



Traditional "Bon Dance" performance.

onlookers joined the dance around the stage.

There had to be over 100,000 lanterns there, and I'm not even exaggerating. It just kept on going and going....



Several large groups of people hoisted these mini "portable shrines" up on their shoulders and slowly carried it to the main shrine while continually chanting and bouncing up and down in unison.



Kaoru doing the purification ritual meant to show respect for the shrine.