Around the end of July and beginning of August, Japan goes festival mad (hence the fireworks in the last post; hopefully there will be more coming soon). There are festivals everywhere at this time of year,  large scale and small. The average "festival" is really just a bunch of food stalls and parades with dancing and music, but they're fun and - this being Japan - sociable and very safe. The police are there, but just to keep things moving smoothly. I very much doubt they need to carry out any arrests for drunk and disorderly conduct.

This particular festival was - literally - right up my street. Took me about a minute to get there. It started at 7 and ran on until around 10, so it was already a little dark at the start. I started off around ISO 2500-3200, and ended up at 8000 by the end. 

Festivals are always a good excuse to get dressed up:

Balloons, kids and security. Like Disneyland but without the cloying sentimentality and corporate whoring.

Getting the games ready

Marching band

Focus!

Portrait artist at work

Little drummer....girl (you can see a video of this performance here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WogpSexujL0

(adopts Eric Cartman voice) "sweeeet!"

Stall owner watches the events

Pretty girl with shamisen

Street dance, olde Japan style

It's the Girls with Crepes on their heads troupe.

Stop right there....please!

I wouldn't mind three hundred million of whatever currency that is, but I don't know where the perp is.

Along with commerce, music and dance are the main features of Japanese festivals

Finally, I couldn't resist getting a snap of this guy. After a lot of experimentation in Lightroom and Silver Efex, he ended up looking quite the badass. His hair was dyed blonde, and it somehow brought to mind Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Thanks as always for looking. Comments, etc, are welcome. Should be more festival-and-firework related stuff coming up shortly.