Saturday, February 21, 2009

Tsubaki Matsuri (椿まつり)

Hello Everyone!

I just returned from a week-long trip to Tokyo. Sorry for the lack of blog posts during my absence!

This update features some pictures I took at Tsubaki Festival three weeks ago. Tsubaki Matsuri is held annually over a three-day period at (where else?) Tsubaki Shrine here in Matsuyama. I was told by a Japanese friend that it is the largest festival in these parts.

I believe the festival is somehow meant to usher in the beginning of spring, though I can say that it is still cold and rainy here in Ehime. I was also told that the female goddess of Tsubaki Shrine is very jealous and that she will notoriously break up happy young couples if they visit the shrine together. Thus, one better leave their significant other at home.

The best part of the festival for me was the absolutely ridiculous procession of food stalls that stretched on for blocks leading up to the shrine gate. I walked there but I waddled my way back, having stuffed my face with too many snacks along the way. I think my total intake was the following:

Tokyo Cake
Sweet Potato Fries
Takoyaki (octopus balls)
Hashiyaki (weird savory crepe thingy wrapped around chopsticks)

Sadly, my favorite drinkable, Ramune Soda, was absent from the festivities. Upon complaining about this to a group of Japanese students, I was politely informed that Ramune is considered a summer festival item.

Enjoy the pictures below!

B.E.W.

No comments: