Howdy everybody, my title is Phuc and I began learning overseas in Japan in 2011. After graduating in 2017, I established an organization and am at present residing and dealing within the Kyushu area of southern Japan.
The nation of Japan with its distinctive tradition from majestic castles, solemn temples to distinctive rituals imbued with the identification of the land of the rising solar attracted me from the primary time I set foot there. .
Particularly within the fall after the rice crop, festivals with the that means of giving because of the gods are held throughout the nation. Amongst them, it’s unattainable to not point out the Karatsu Kunchi pageant in Saga province, which was acknowledged by the United Nations Instructional, Scientific and Cultural Group Unesco as a world intangible cultural heritage in 2016.
Karatsu Kunchi was shaped in 1661 and is the most important pageant of the yr in Karatsu metropolis, Saga province. The pageant is held within the first 3 days of November yearly with the spotlight of 14 big chariots carrying gods.
On the primary day, the procession carriages shall be carried by dozens of individuals and parade from the wards to Karatsu temple. This ceremony is held within the night so the chariots are brightly lit all through the road.
On the second day, the chariots have been carried from early morning and paraded to the seashore. 14 chariots lined up on the sandy seashore, displaying their distinctive majesty. This ritual is known as Otabisho Shingo and can be essentially the most price watching content material with the notable level being that every chariot weighs 2 tons however remains to be carried to the designated location with the efforts of the ritual contributors.
When pulling the carriages, the pullers will shout “ENYA, YOISA” very loudly, making the entire space stuffed with “vitality”.
On the final day, individuals will not carry the cart however will solely drag the cart again to the exhibition space. On at the present time, the carriages are pulled slowly with the melodious sound of flutes creating a really sacred scene.
Going alongside the seashore and crossing the bridge, on the finish of the headland standing tall is Karatsu Citadel constructed within the Edo interval within the early sixteenth century. Along with the title Karatsu, the citadel can be known as Maizuru (Wu Hac Citadel) due to the topography. from above like a crane spreading its wings to fly. Standing from the citadel’s watchtower, you’ll be able to see the panoramic view of the crane flying in direction of Karatsu Bay.
After watching the parade and visiting Karatsu Citadel, I returned to the central space of the pageant, the place there are numerous meals stalls. All types of meals on sale look very enticing and crowd pleasing. Saga province is legendary for squid, so I took the chance to benefit from the scrumptious grilled squid with soy sauce.
Leaving Karatsu, I boarded the tram to Saga station. The tram was crammed with vacationers speaking in regards to the Karatsu Kunchi pageant and the upcoming occasion, the Saga Balloon Pageant. That is Asia’s largest sizzling air balloon pageant with the participation of gamers from dozens of nations and a whole bunch of sizzling air balloons. The pageant is so huge that the federal government arrange a cellular tram station known as “Saga balloon” for use solely through the pageant.
When approaching the Pageant sq., sitting within the tram, I might see dozens of sizzling air balloons concurrently flying throughout the sky. Sizzling air balloons of all shapes and colours create a superb and exquisite image that can not be described in phrases. Everybody crowded collectively to seize distinctive moments and forgot to get off on the station.
Once I arrived, I went straight to the sq. to witness every nationwide participant opening the hearth valve to boost the parachute and slowly raise the balloon off the bottom. With every profitable sizzling air balloon leaving the bottom, cheers echoed all through the sq..
Proper behind the sq. is a big meals court docket gathering well-known eating places and meals corporations of Saga province. They promote very unusual and typical dishes of Saga. I had the chance to get pleasure from 2 dishes of deep-fried squid with seaweed salt and beef rice stewed with inexperienced tea. I need to say that the scrumptious style of these two dishes was so unforgettable that I had to purchase extra to take house as items.
At nightfall, the sq. is now extra bustling due to the beginning of the “Evening Sizzling Air Balloon” present. The new air balloons now not fly however are anchored to the bottom. The music performed and with the host’s command, the recent air balloons have been concurrently lit with fireplace valves like big torches, making the entire sq. glow with shade.
On the finish of a day of experiencing the 2 greatest occasions at Saga, though we have been on our approach house, the festive environment nonetheless lingered in our minds. It has been a very long time since I had the chance to immerse myself in one thing very Japanese, to really feel the joy once more, to hitch within the pleasure of tens of 1000’s of individuals in all elements of the nation specifically and the world on the whole. shared. If I’ve the chance, I hope to have the ability to take part many extra occasions to totally get pleasure from each of those occasions.