This whole batch is of my visit this year to the Kawagoe Matsuri (川越まつり). The video clips are arranged in chronological order, so if you watch them that way (from one to twenty-six), you can get some idea of the progression of the event over several hours. I got there in the afternoon and left not long after darkness fell. I considered staying a little later, but a lot of new people were pouring into the event for the after dark segment and it was getting to the point where you couldn't move about very freely.
When there are very few people at a festival, it feels lonely and neglected, and then, as more people arrive, it gets livelier and more interesting (a feeling that gets stronger with more people still), but when it gets to the point where you can't freely navigate around the event, it becomes less fun and a feeling of wanting to be free of the crowds sets in. It was basically at that point that I headed for the station and took a train towards home.
When I arrived in Kawagoe for the festival, the first thing I did was get some food at a couple of the many food stalls set up for the event, and then I began walking around - exploring the different streets, watching the traditional floats and listening to the live music played from people on each float.
I think my favorite aspect to the event is that they close off several blocks of the city to all motor vehicles, and people on foot take over the streets. Were that this was the constant state of cities the world over! I understand how important cars are out in the countryside, but in the city, they're a curse. (Incidentally, I don't think the degree to which Japan has become a car culture is fully understood outside Japan. While Tokyo simply would not function without mass transit, it's a point of pride with many people in the countryside to never set foot on any kind of public transportation.)
Kawagoe Matsuri (A) Food Stalls by Hon-Kawagoe Station (121020) 川越まつり 01
http://youtu.be/vkudtMfqXSg
Early Afternoon Food Stalls (121020) 川越まつり 02
http://youtu.be/YdPjTmkKtHU
Food Stall Stroll (Early Afternoon) 121020 川越まつり 03
http://youtu.be/dYM16Ifecdk
Return Walk (by Food Stalls) 121020 川越まつり 04
http://youtu.be/gCba7t4cabY
Kawagoe Matsuri (B) Entering Main Festival Area (121020) 川越まつり 05
http://youtu.be/_hqSfXifxhA
Kawagoe Matsuri (C) Festival Walkabout (121020) 川越まつり 06
http://youtu.be/JG1wuDOKrtQ
Kawagoe Matsuri (D) Temple Food Stalls, Etc. (121020) 川越まつり 07
http://youtu.be/W6E5CZ5yU88
Kawagoe Matsuri (E) Side Street (121020) 川越まつり 08
http://youtu.be/UgecP4518bo
Kawagoe Matsuri (F) Middle of the Road (121020) 川越まつり 09
http://youtu.be/ppaBCY04Nf4
Kawagoe Matsuri (G) Side Street Temple, Etc. (121020) 川越まつり 10
http://youtu.be/Hi58hzLqFj0
Float Parade (Walking with Float) Kawagoe Matsuri (121020) 川越まつり 11
http://youtu.be/dgj85Tdzuhg
Back and Front Sides of Float (121020) 川越まつり 12
http://youtu.be/w1QN6WeOCjU
Watching Festival Floats (Kawagoe Matsuri) 121020 川越まつり 13
http://youtu.be/WU9jzxY2egU
Float and Side Street (Kawagoe Matsuri) 121020 川越まつり 14
http://youtu.be/_lgTerYEEGE
Float Passes Down Side Street (Kawagoe Matsuri) 121020 川越まつり 15
http://youtu.be/Y-a49uwEXuI
Kawagoe Matsuri (H) Candy Area (121020) 川越まつり 16
http://youtu.be/cmTXgySH0t0
Kawagoe Matsuri (G) Float, Crowds, Etc. (121020g) 川越まつり 17
http://youtu.be/t2oTK5gvvL8
Old Kawagoe Festival Time (121020) 川越まつり 18
http://youtu.be/DQReL6BxXC8
People Walking by (in Old Kawagoe) 121020 川越まつり 19
http://youtu.be/BsQ7n--4WAE
Kawagoe Matsuri (H) Evening Calm (121020) 川越まつり 20
http://youtu.be/Y-thQ1HHSL0
Twilight at Kawagoe Matsuri (121020) 川越まつり 21
http://youtu.be/hc81VC0UscI
Twilight Illuminated Floats (Kawagoe Matsuri) 121020 川越まつり 22
http://youtu.be/G_ws6c601-I
Twilight Crowds at Kawagoe Matsuri (121020) 川越まつり 23
http://youtu.be/ThVRWAh84M4
Kawagoe Matsuri (I) Walking Towards Station (121020) 川越まつり 24
http://youtu.be/nGYBJVSB-L0
Kawagoe Matsuri (J) at Night (121020) 川越まつり 25
http://youtu.be/Pm-Eo26Y8jc
Kawagoe (Walking to Station Through Festival Crowds) 121020 川越まつり 26
http://youtu.be/yZ9WvlV6m0M
Hon-Kawagoe to Minami-Otsuka at Night (Seibu Line) 121020
http://youtu.be/lcP3wGAZ-dI
Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/
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