Nothing says Japan like a good community festival, or matsuri. Every year, we go with my wife's family to a festival in my city in September. It is definitely a festive time. The people in each neighborhood build some kind of small wooden ark or something, put some red padding and decorations on it, and put a drum called a taiko inside. Then at the festival, the men carry the amazingly heavy thing up, down, and around a local shrine, while boys sit inside, pound the taiko, and chant. Every neighborhood has the same chant and virtually the same taiko design, but that doesn't matter. All in all, it is a good time for the city.
Of course, no Japanese festival is complete without many food stands (called yatai in Japanese). This one sells yakitori, or grilled chicken on a stick. They also have stands where you can buy fried noodles, octopus balls, okonomiyaki (a pancake-like food topped with pork, green onions, and good sauce), candy apples, fried chicken, and others. It's the best part of the festival, in my opinion.
More taiko-pounding fun. Note the colorful festive costumes some of the people are wearing to support their neighborhood.
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