Jono and I took a half day off work so we could go to the Nada Festival. We had been invited by one of Jono's elementary school teachers to sit with her family on the mountain. We met Murakami at the train station and made our way through the small town. There were people everywhere as well as many portable shrines awaiting their time in the lime light. They looked very relaxed as these guys casually lean on their 1 ton shrine drinking beer and smoking cigarettes!Next we made the small trek to the mountain, and they weren't kidding when they called it that! As soon as we rounded the last corner I could see the very tall mountain with levels cut into it and many people sitting on their picnic rugs awaiting the action. It was quite a hike up the steep side of 
the mountain, trying not to step on people's blankets or slide down the dirt paths! About 4 levels from the top we were invited to sit down. Murakami's daughter, father, sister and niece were there and soon came her husband (who brought us some much appreciated extra jumpers!!). We were provided with a bento for lunch which had many yummy bits, and not so yummy bits, and pieces in it. Soon the action began. To the left of Jono's head you can see a small patch of red...that's where it all happened. Luckily my camera has a big zoom! 
To begin the action the many different groups from different towns (identified by the different coloured pom poms and outfits) brought their smaller shrine made of wood in the arena to fight. It was crazy. The shrines were carried by men and held up by the long sticks you can see. The two shrines would crash into each other and the last to crash to the ground won. We saw a couple of people being carried out of the mass of people looking worse for wear as they were carried to the waiting ambulance and taken to hospital. Jono saw one guy with his leg bent the wrong way! Ewwww! You wouldn't want to be trapped under those things that's for sure! Once the fighting was over the small shrines were hauled up the side of the mountain to the top.
the mountain, trying not to step on people's blankets or slide down the dirt paths! About 4 levels from the top we were invited to sit down. Murakami's daughter, father, sister and niece were there and soon came her husband (who brought us some much appreciated extra jumpers!!). We were provided with a bento for lunch which had many yummy bits, and not so yummy bits, and pieces in it. Soon the action began. To the left of Jono's head you can see a small patch of red...that's where it all happened. Luckily my camera has a big zoom! 
To begin the action the many different groups from different towns (identified by the different coloured pom poms and outfits) brought their smaller shrine made of wood in the arena to fight. It was crazy. The shrines were carried by men and held up by the long sticks you can see. The two shrines would crash into each other and the last to crash to the ground won. We saw a couple of people being carried out of the mass of people looking worse for wear as they were carried to the waiting ambulance and taken to hospital. Jono saw one guy with his leg bent the wrong way! Ewwww! You wouldn't want to be trapped under those things that's for sure! Once the fighting was over the small shrines were hauled up the side of the mountain to the top.
Next came in the large, more beautiful and heavy shrines. They did not fight with these, more like dance around. The crowd would clap and cheer when two shrines were lifted and bounced up and down next to each other. At one stage the shrines were heading towards the crowd and one tipped up...luckily it didn't fall over...but we got very nervous. After some showing off, they eventually made their way up the mountain too. By this time we had been sitting and watching for 4 hours and Murakami decided we needed to go to her home to rest before climbing the hill to view the shrines.
It was a short walk away and we were soon sitting in a tatami-floored guest room being offered fruit, cookies, pretzels and drinks. They were very kind. After a short relax we went the short-cut way up the mountain (through the scrub) and made it to the top. It was an interesting sight. The 6 shrines lined up in a line and their carriers drinking beer and eating lots of food. There was a bit of a stench up there too, so we didn't hang around for too long...the mix of body odour and urine was a bit over powering! Soon the shrines were carried back down the mountain and back to the bottom. After having drunk a lot of beer it was quite scary to see these guys head downhill with a 1 ton shrine on their shoulders. Needless to say it took one particular group 8 attempts to pick the thing up and get going!
After we had seen enough we headed back to the family home to collect our gear and go home, but they invited us to stay for dinner! We had sukiyaki and it was great. We felt really spoilt and glad we had the opportunity to enjoy Nada Festival in such great company.
