In the Parade

Last evening we had the rare chance of a lifetime; we joined the Neputa parade!! One of our friends invited us to join Neputa with her friend's group, so it was a friend of a friend of a friend kinda thing. We were super excited to join the event and it was a pretty neat experience!

To prepare for the parade we had to put on our yukatas, which are the lighter summer kimono. This was a little trying seeing how we rarely wear them, in fact this may be the second or third time we have worn them. Angie had bought one previously, but Travis had to borrow one from the friend we joined with.

We joined our friend at the start of the parade. Most of the people who join also wear the yukata or something similar in the Japanese style.

If you are reading our blog you just read the last blog about watching the parade with one of our English club members. Well, she was telling us she would also join the parade, but we were all upset because we wouldn't see each other. But as it turns out, with slim chances as there are close to fifty groups, we ended up in the same group with her!!! (The girl on the left is our English club student, the girl on the right was a great student of Travis' from last year.)

Just before the parade started it began to downpour! And because it was raining, they didn't put the ropes out to pull the float but just pushed it. This meant we didn't have anything to do but walk and yell the war chant "Ya Ya Do!", which was fun any way. At least for most of the parade it didn't rain, but they moved the parade along quickly because the rain destroys the hand painted floats.

What a great way to make the most of our 240th day until we return and a great experience for our last year in Japan!!!! Here is a video so you can see the parade from our point of view.