Matsue Do Gyoretsu

Sunday, a beautiful fall day.


A little tired from climbing Mt. Diason (1721m) with some friends the day before, I headed back to matsue with Ashley to catch the drum festival. I had been told several times over that this was something not to be missed. In fact, we were encouraged to participate, as many of my friends did. I missed the sign up due to a wedding I went to, but had just as much fun catching everyone else wacking away at the drums.

What we were celebrating I never really got a straight story on, but I'm not sure it really matters anymore. The way it works is this. The varying neighborhoods through out Matsue enter in an ornately decorated and very japanese looking "float". In each of the floats are 2 or more 7 foot drums that once are hit resonate a deep growling thunder....and when 7-8 people are all going at it at the same time, its just wicked. The two weeks before the festival, whoever is interested, wether it's a man, woman, teenager or elder it matter not, they meet with their neighbors throughout the city practicing the selected drum routine, flute or symbal parts that accompanied.



On the big day, they all congregate in front of city hall, drum away for several hours, have an official opening ceremony, and then split into two different parade routes. One for the north side of the city and the other for the south. The floats, which are on small little wheels, are pulled by anywhere from 20-30 children and their parents (right of passage?) For the parade, each float is drumming the same "cadence", but before the parade it was a free for all. There is no competetion, just a great showing of civic pride as far as an outsider like myself can tell.


I would be remiss if I didn't mention the drinking involved. Everynight, during the two weeks of practice, is pretty much just a big party. And then come Sunday, if you dont see drum sticks in their hands, there's usually a cup or a beer can in its stead. And the most brilliant part, is during the parade, behind every drum float is a small little cart from which members pour little glasses of sake and pass out among the spectators along the route. And like in any good festival there was a row of food vendors selling the staples of a japanese celebration. Octopus balls (really good), various meats on a stick (yakitori), sweet bean paste rolled in a pancake (not fun) and some other stuff I couldn't identify.


Me and some friends spent the day finding our fellow English teachers all decked out and drumming away, taking free cups of sake and just enjoying the crowd. By the time it was all phasing out and the floats made their way back to their respective neighborhoods the few of us left just sat and watched some seasoned vets. They were just rocking it, and in a suprising turn started grabbing remaining spectators around and let us attempt to follow along. It was so much fun.
I think pictures do this story more juctice than I can so I'm including a bunch. Click on any of then for a larger picture.