Yamakasa At Daybreak

29Jul07

Five thirty am and daylight finally penetrated the heavy cloud, conjuring a misty grey morning. The typhoon hit Fukuoka that night; rain pounded the streets and unpredictable winds threatened the decency of the city’s many skirt clad youth. But we hardly noticed. Tucked up as we were in our karaoke booth, our little womb; with only a phoneline connecting us to the outside world and the promise of more beer. Friends sharing their last few weeks in Japan together, strengthening their bonds and building new ones.

We emerged, still dark – we headed for downtown and a good spot to catch the festival – the Yamakasa – Fukuoka’s equivalent of Pamplona’s Bull Run. Teams of men shouldering two tonne shrines in a race through the city streets in honour of Buddha, while crowds of thousands gather to urge them on. Clutching beers and soaked through we watched the darkness melt and the streets fill and throng with festival goers. We were part of it, we were all together – fewer moments in life are more beautiful.

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