Before there is movement, there is music. From in front of towering samurai warriors, dragons and demons, the throng of dancers cannot see the armada of drums behind them. The deep bass notes bang through the crowd. They come in pairs. They jostle the people. Then the blows come on in rapid bursts and the tones throw the dancers to their feet, jumping, kicking, roaring: "Ra, Se, Ra! Ra, Se, Ra! Ra, Se, Ra, Se, Ra, Se, Ra!"
This is Aomori Nebuta Matsuri. For one week starting at the beginning of August each year Aomori City, in far north Honshu, closes off its central streets to car traffic. Elaborately constructed and intricately painted rice paper floats, four lanes wide, take their place. The festival starts to congeal every night at 6 p.m. By 7 p.m. the drums and shouts fill the air and the floats, lit from within, lumber to life. Thousands of dancers jingle and stomp through the streets for the next two hours. For the adventurous traveler the best part of Nebuta Matsuri is that it is open to all. Anyone ready to add his or her sweat and shout to the festival is welcome to join, provided said gentleman or lady has procured the Nebuta costume from any of the many street vendors before the scream-stomp party literally starts jumping. Check http://www.nebuta.or.jp/english/index_e.htm for Nebuta schedule and etiquette.
However, if the prospect of screaming like a samurai in battle or being soaked in your sweat and a thousand other peoples’ sounds unappealing, the festival is free to watch. From any perch along the parade route you can watch groups of young men, ten across in front and back of every float, pilot the glowing sculptures through the streets. The stationary observer cannot feel short changed watching the stars of Japanese myth and legend come alive before her eyes.
While the floats provide the eye candy for the festival, the drummers provide the soundtrack. Behind each float a troupe of drummers hammer out the deep thump to which the entire spectacle keeps time. Flutists follow along with dancing cymbal players to accent the preceding bass boom.
By 9 o'clock the pulsing parade has come full circle and the crowd trickles down the narrow alleys. Some return to their homes while others go to imbibe at the nearest karaoke bar. For that, the occasion calls for the infamous "nomihoudai" (unlimited drinks for a specified time period). It's available at most karaoke joints and some bars, but doesn't come with a dose of ibuprofen for the next morning. However, if the small, private rooms provided for you and your newest friends aren't enough to compel you to belt out “Sex Bomb” then it's probably worth risking the hangover and order thirty beers in quick succession.
