Warning: Many pictures ahead.
This picture is of the crosswalk that leads onto the road that heads towards my apartment. Normally there aren't nearly as many people (or, uh, police barricdes) but the shrine closest to my apartment was having a festival this weekend, which meant that my sleepy little slum suddenly sprang to life.
I couldn't resist posting almost thirty pictures. My layout will not happily accept the Blogger code that allows me to "hide" them under a link, so until I get that figured out, my humblest apologies to anybody with a slower connection.
'Cause if there's one thing that we don't need
it's a random winter matsuri
in the ghetto.
I actually discovered this festival last night on accident. I had walked out of my apartment, resigned to another night of "Nakau" (a Japanese fast food chain) tantan udon when suddenly the smell of takoyaki struck my nose. My inner Osakan was awoken, and suddenly there was nothing in the world that I needed more than doughy balls filled with octopus. Sorry, Mom.
A popular treat at this festival was honey kasutera. These were basically little fried honey balls. I liked this stand because the balls came in the shape of Hello Kitty, which made eating them (of course I bought some, of course I did) much more satisfying.
The knick-knacks here are of Ebissan, the local deity-figure of choice. He is supposed to bring good luck for your business. As my neighborhood has never quite left the 80s, Ebissan is still held dear to the locals here. This is one of the few places in Osaka where I've actually heard the "standard" Osaka dialect greeting of "how's your business?" being used.
Old style pinball/pachinko machines.
Heading closer to the shrine.
Hiya.
The entrance to the shrine.
The women up at the counter were passing out lucky bamboo shoots.
I seem to have an allergy to fresh bamboo, so I decided not to take any chances... well, I mean, other than whatever chances I took heading into a mob of people who mostly were weilding the perilous plant.
Away, cursed plant!
There were a lot of foreign staff. I couldn't help but take a picture.
The snow began to fall as we celebrated. It was a light snow, the flakes thick and soft. You could hear the collective murmur of excitement as dozens of voices suddenly whispered in unison it's snowing, it's snowing. You can see a few flakes falling in this photo if you look for them.
Sailormoon pinball/pachinko game.
What are all these people looking at...?
...I told you, we've never left the 80s here, or at best the early 90s.
You have no idea how difficult it was to hold myself back.
I told you they were shaped like Hello Kitty.
They were absolutely delicious, to boot.
I couldn't resist posting almost thirty pictures. My layout will not happily accept the Blogger code that allows me to "hide" them under a link, so until I get that figured out, my humblest apologies to anybody with a slower connection.
'Cause if there's one thing that we don't need
it's a random winter matsuri
in the ghetto.
I actually discovered this festival last night on accident. I had walked out of my apartment, resigned to another night of "Nakau" (a Japanese fast food chain) tantan udon when suddenly the smell of takoyaki struck my nose. My inner Osakan was awoken, and suddenly there was nothing in the world that I needed more than doughy balls filled with octopus. Sorry, Mom.
A popular treat at this festival was honey kasutera. These were basically little fried honey balls. I liked this stand because the balls came in the shape of Hello Kitty, which made eating them (of course I bought some, of course I did) much more satisfying.
The knick-knacks here are of Ebissan, the local deity-figure of choice. He is supposed to bring good luck for your business. As my neighborhood has never quite left the 80s, Ebissan is still held dear to the locals here. This is one of the few places in Osaka where I've actually heard the "standard" Osaka dialect greeting of "how's your business?" being used.
Old style pinball/pachinko machines.
Heading closer to the shrine.
Hiya.
The entrance to the shrine.
The women up at the counter were passing out lucky bamboo shoots.
I seem to have an allergy to fresh bamboo, so I decided not to take any chances... well, I mean, other than whatever chances I took heading into a mob of people who mostly were weilding the perilous plant.
Away, cursed plant!
There were a lot of foreign staff. I couldn't help but take a picture.
The snow began to fall as we celebrated. It was a light snow, the flakes thick and soft. You could hear the collective murmur of excitement as dozens of voices suddenly whispered in unison it's snowing, it's snowing. You can see a few flakes falling in this photo if you look for them.
Sailormoon pinball/pachinko game.
What are all these people looking at...?
...I told you, we've never left the 80s here, or at best the early 90s.
You have no idea how difficult it was to hold myself back.
I told you they were shaped like Hello Kitty.
They were absolutely delicious, to boot.
I wish every day was festival day!
yes, Melissa, keep your octopus balls....how come these people never seem to look excited or happy..everyone seems so morose and serious...lighten up, Japan, this is a festival...it did look interesting though...i cant believe you resisted the nintendo stuff...good girl..the hello kitty honey balls looked scrumptous...Japan is definately unique...just like my kid.....
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