After weeks of practice and trying to overcome my failure at keeping rhythms, the Dougyoretsu was upon us. The opening ceremony was Saturday night, (the same day we made mochi!) We each had to go buy our own tabi socks (ninja socks! the big toe is all on it's own, perfect for flippy floppies.) The drum group let us borrow happi (japanese coat) gold obi to tie them shut, fun head decorations, and zori (fancy flip flops.) Since these outfits were for tiny Japanese women, our happi were pretty short, and our zori way too small. My heels were hanging of the end. I don't think I'll ever get my white tabi socks clean again.
Michael, Me, Kayla, Luc (he's French!)
Kayla, Sarah (she's Canadian!), Me
We got dressed in our finery and met up at the drum shed near Matsue castle to get ready to go. The opening ceremony was held in the parking lots surrounding the castle. We (and by that I mean the men) had to push the cart holding the giant drums to the castle down the roads. Pretty hilarious.
Stopped at a red light.
Our final resting place in the parking lot!
Once we got to the parking lot, we set up camp with a giant blue tarp spread out, and a surplus of snack food and alcohol. So much alcohol. Those drum guys sure love to drink.
Once it was time, we started playing. We got to share the parking lot with one other drum group, but ours seemed more popular, probably because we'd stop playing and let the people watching try. Jake came to see, and I forced him to play some. It kept threatening to rain, but it never poured, just sprinkled on and off. A fun night indeed.
Go Jake go!
After playing, we got to pack everything up and haul it all back to the drum shed. Then we went home to sleep as it was probably 11 or so, and we had to be at the drum shed for the actual parade the next morning at 7 am. Way too early....soooo early....
look forward to that next!
Sounds like fun socks!
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