Yay!

So I spent a good chunk of yesterday afternoon wearing a happi (happy) coat, walking around in a very large circle, and helping a huge band of drunk foreign and Japanese people carry a gold mikoshi (portable shinto shrine)while screaming... some word? and being followed around the street by a cart of booze. I had OJ. Because I had to drive home and I am cool that way.



It was heavy!!

We were only one small group in the giant circle of groups of drunk Japanese screaming, carrying and spinning mikoshis and drinking their hearts (or stomachs) out from the many booze carts.




Afterwards I stood in a crowd and was pelted with mochi (a rice cake made by pounding rice into a paste) by men standing in towers. I have learned that I am quite adept at catching small heavy things when they're flying at my head.



It was so interesting, and so fun, and so absolutely unlike anything I have ever done before. I'm doing it next year for sure!