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The first lesson I attended at Tachikawa had a serendipitous ending when I caught a 'mystery' bus (not the correct number but worth an experiment) and ended up in Hana-Koganei, a town that just happened to be celebrating its annual matsuri (festival) in flare, colour, noise and festivity with dancing, wheeling out huge odaiko and taiko drums into the streets that were closed for the ceremony. The striking thing about these festivals, most localities have one of some size, while Chichibu's is notoriously one of the most impressive, is that the whole community seriously engage in the activity. It must take weeks, even months for preparation. The taiko-players in Hana Koganei were professional but in many towns, the folk rehearse and prepare their playing. In this town, everybody looked harmonious in their matching outfits, some for dancers, some for carrying the portable shrine through the town, others for drumming and so on such that a real mass of colour and community was visible right down to details. People had clearly put a great deal of time into their appearances and costumes. Grandchildren, parents, grandparents were all involved, through processions, group dances, eating street food from little tents lining the side oft he village centre, painstakingly cooked skewers stretchy octopus, okonomiyaki pancakes, etc. Even family pets were dressed to comply and I was surprised by how many people brought along their dogs: why? Because it was so very loud with processional bells, gongs, transverse flutes of very bright piercing tone, maybe shinobue-like, the thundering taiko, at times concurrently and the chanting, frenzy of the cheerleaders and crowd pursuing the mobile shrine through the crowds, not to mention giggling shrieking children, the excitement of the crowd and it was generally so noisy for several hours - it must have been difficult or a little terrifying for the pets dragged along. This was my first experience of a matsuri and it was amazing to be swept up in the charged atmosphere and feel the energy of the taiko in its 'natural' or original context. It was exhilarating and really cohesive, primal.
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