Yayoi Matsuri in Asakusa

yeah, it's pretty touristy but asakusa remains one of my favorite places in the city.



there was a tv show being taped at one of the rice cracker stalls. another food porn featuring some fairly famous japanese comedians:



the gate to the main temple:


and you go through only to find that it (kannon temple) is under major construction:


get your smoke on:


and your cleansing on:



today was Yayoi festival, with a ceremony by members of the Edo Shobo Kinen-kai (Edo Civilian Fire Fighters' Association):



bamboo ladders:


the priests finish their blessing:


and the firemen get ready:


and there is a sudden fury of raising and spinning the giant swizzle sticks:




afterwards, they did some acrobatics. remember those bamboo ladders?


they are set up and secured by the men on the ground:


one guy goes up:



and away they go!





i think there were 8 - 10 of them set up. pretty amazing stuff:


the exhausted finish:


and they packed it up and went home. this guy carried this huge ladder almost entirely alone:


love me some firemen!