KANTO MATSURI

KANTO Festival ~ Akita Prefecture
The Kanto festival was my favorite of oh-so many festivals I have attended this year. Kanto is the biggest festival in the Akita Prefecture (which is located to the west of Iwate). The Kanto Festival requires much skill as men and young boys hoist these towering lanterns overhead and parade up and down the streets. The lantern 'sculptures' weigh over a 100 pounds----but moreso, adding to the difficulty, the people balance these sculptures on one hand, on their chest, back, hip and even forehead! It was incredible! And very beautiful, but again a difficult place to take pictures...
Here are a few pics that sort of turned out...take a look at the way they are balancing the lanterns. Japanese aren't particularly known for their strength but their balance and agility is commendable.
While in Akita, I stayed with my second home-away-from-home family, the Hosoya's. I will post pics of the family in the coming days...but pictured above is Yusako (family friend who kindly let us stay at her beautiful home in Akita City), Hatsumi (my friend from SCSU who is from Akita), and Sophia (my dear friend and possible future mother-in-law!) ahhahah wink, wink Sophia...