Last weekend was the 54th annual Eisa Dancer/Orion Beer Festival here in Okinawa. It also happened to be Aspen and Mike's first weekend here. So, the four of us headed out for a night of fun! How ironic is it that the first thing Aspen and Mike do in Japan (after leaving Germany) is go to a beer festival????
Below is one of the many food vendors.
And as you can see by the happy customers below (who happen to be in mid-chew)...the food was pretty yummy. We tried yakatori (chicken on a stick) and soba (Okinawan noodles with chicken and veggies).
Below you can see some locals enjoying the festival food as well. It's very typical to see the Japanese "pop-a-squat" anytime they want to rest. Notice they are dressed traditionally also.
These guys stood on a podium and entertained the crowd, almost like jesters.
Mike and Aspen with some taiko drummers.
Below is video of the dancers, musicians and drummers. Photos are great, but they don't quite capture the essence of this tradition.
One of the many groups of Eisa Dancers and Taiko Drummers.
Jason and Mike pose with some Eisa dancers giving the peace sign.
The little boy below stole the show. He was dancing and beating his mini taiko drum. When he saw me taking pictures of him, he squatted down and posed for me. He was so ADORABLE!!!
Past meets the present: The Eisa Dancer wears traditional dress while talking on her cell phone and drinking a beer.
Who says a beer festival isn't a family event? The little boy in green and blue uses his architectural skills to make use of all the empty beer glasses.
It was SO hot and humid. Aspen and I were quite envious of the Japanese with their fans. Finally we found a table where they were giving fans away. We made good use of those fans the rest of the night.
Who knew we'd see a Japanese guy with a fro?
Posed for their group photo. You can see the musicians, taiko drummers, Eisa dancers, and group flag.
The great thing about Japan is that they love photos as much as I do. This group saw my camera and posed without me even having to ask.
The kid below was having such a great time.
At the end of the night all the groups took to the field waving their banners and singing.
As if we weren't entertained enough, we were treated to a splendid fireworks show...one that could rival any 4th of July show.
Jason and I enjoying the coolness of the water while the sun beats down on us.
The East China Sea
Mike and Jason: kids at heart. They couldn't wait to run into the water.
