Kumamoto Part 4: Fujisaki Hachimangu Festival

This was one of the weirdest mornings I've had since coming to Japan. 

I had heard some buzzing about a festival almost as soon as we landed. On my first day in Kumomoto, was told of a day-long festival that would be really loud. And it was. the morning of the festival I could hear banging starting at 5:30. Not wanting to let a good opportunity go to waste, I got up and headed out. My wife passed, so I was going solo.


Here's a description of the event from Kumomoto Guide.

The highlight of this festival is a day-long parade on the 15th. Soldiers in ancient armor and ornately decorated horses follow a portable Shinto shrine through the streets of Kumamoto. This festival is not to everyone's tastes however - and has been toned down over the years. This festival originated as a celebration of an attack on Korea, something which is now downplayed. The horses taken through the streets should think themselves lucky too - they were traditionally force-fed sake, until deliriously drunk and then slaughtered on the streets!

The hotel was near Kumamoto Castle, and more specifically, the site of Miyamoto Musashi's residence. So this particular morning I thought it would be a good idea to go there first, then go to the festival.  didn't know how long I had, so I had to be efficient.

I had to cross two streets to get to Miyamoto's residence, and as I was crossing the first street, an elderly lady stopped me and said I was going in the wrong direction. In my best pigeon Japanese, I told her that I was just going to go here first then go to the festival. She lit up when I
spoke Japanese and ailed a taxi.

I had no idea where we were going, but I figured I should pick up the taxi fare (and I did after some polite arguing). She brought me to what she described as the best place to watch the festival in the old part of town.

I thought she was just a nice old lady until she brought me to a store that wasn't opened yet. She started talking to the shopkeeper as if she knew her well, but then started asking questions that revealed she didn't know them well at all. After the shopkeeper left to send her child to school, the old lady let herself in. I decided that I needed to make a polite getaway.

The old lady said something about going to see if something was happening in a different area, and I assumed that she meant we would go together. She up and took off, so I waited for her. Then a different elderly lady sitting on the other side of me struck up a conversation in English, but fortunately my wife called me back for breakfast.

Weird morning.