Nebuta

Let's start off with a bang.  You know that overwhelming sense of wonder you get when you see something totally astonishing?  It seems like the older we get the less often we get totally blown away by something.  Well, nebuta will totally blow your socks off.

That dragon is coming right through the wall!

Okay, I was underwhelmed when I saw this.  It was kinda cool, but it had no context.  I think dragons are cool, don't get me wrong, but this looked like a high school art project.  I had no idea what waited in the big dark room beyond...

Giant floats!  Americans, take note: your floats just got served.  Do you see those little lines in the big guy's arms?  Those are the wires that give the entire thing its shape.  After the wire frame is built, it is covered in paper and painted.  These 15 foot tall floats are lit from the inside.  Pictures can't compare to the feeling of being in the presence of something so....neat.  What artistry.

The themes are all from Japanese mythology.  When I have time to research more, I'll post about mythology.

Maybe your thinking, "Nate, what is so impressive about giant paper mache thingies?"  I think they inspire awe because of their delicacy.  Do you see those fins on the dragons' noses?  Those are wire frames covered in paper.  One float had a couple holes punched through the paper.  The fact that most of them didn't reflects the Japanese gentleness.  these floats have been drug down the street by teams of people (we got to pull one) year after year.  They were crafted from such basic materials, but formed with such care and artistry it is hard not to be impressed.

Here's to Japanese artistry!