Today I got up early because I wanted to leave the hotel at 7 am to catch my Shinkansen to Nagoya. So I just got dressed up, but my pyjama and the hotel's tooth brush & paste set in my bag and left while Kiki and Aya were still sleeping of course. At the Family Mart I bought me a bun for breakfast and took the train to Tokyo Station. I was good in time and caught a seat in the crowded shinkansen.
In Nagoya I had to change trains. I had to take the Hida Limited Express to Takayama. I was lucky to arrive quite early before the train would depart and got a seat in the overcrowded train! Many many people wanted to go to Takayama for the festival, so also many foreigners were in the train, especially Australians and French.
The route proceeded through the mountains of central Japan, the landscape was really beautiful.
At Takayama Station everyone wanted to gett off the train... what a crowd of people >.<
But the station officiers did pretty well in controlling the tickets and let the flood go off the station.
Just in front was a tourist information so I got a programm a little city map of Takayama at once^^v
So ready to get to the city!
It was just 1 pm, a special puppet performance on the main plaza would be held at 3 pm, so I had enough time to check out all the portable shrines which were located all over the old town center (12 altogether).
The shrines were really beautiful! They led the way to main temple of the city, so I visited it as well^^
Back at the main plaza many people had already gathered to catch a view on the three portable shrines standing there where the puppet performance would be held. So I secured a little space for myself. But it was cruel because the plaza got overcrowded and the sun was burning down... I thought I would melt away >.<
But I endured it the whole 50 minutes of the performances. Every shrine made an own performance telling an ancient story of the region. The content of the performances were told in Japanese and English before it started, that was really nice.
Afterwards I bought some souvenirs before my attention was caught of group performing a dragon dance on the emptied plaza.
So the festival program ended with this till the night procession of the shrines. I decided to search my hotel to left my luggage there and got a bit refreshed before going to the night procession.
I booked a bed in a women room in a little hostel called 'sakura guest house' X3 It was located a bit outside of the main city but I could the way and was also successful in finding it quite quickly (was it really unusual in Japan).
The receptionist was really nice and showed me everything: my room, the bathroom and showers and the common room.
It was nothing special but nice and very clean and I must say I didn't see many of the other guests and they were pretty quite. It was okay for just sleeping there it just cost around 20 € per night, so that was okay.
After a little break I went back to the old city because the procession would start at 7:30 h. All the shrines would be proceed enlightended around the old town before they would be restored in their garages till tomorrow.
I went to the main plaza where the procession would start (and end).
When every shrine was on its way I decided to leave because I had seen everything and it got awefully cold since the sun went down >.<
I was glad when I fell in my bed and got some sleep...
But I was curious what I will see tomorrow though I had experienced more of the program than I had expected so I could start the next day very relaxed...
In Nagoya I had to change trains. I had to take the Hida Limited Express to Takayama. I was lucky to arrive quite early before the train would depart and got a seat in the overcrowded train! Many many people wanted to go to Takayama for the festival, so also many foreigners were in the train, especially Australians and French.
The route proceeded through the mountains of central Japan, the landscape was really beautiful.
At Takayama Station everyone wanted to gett off the train... what a crowd of people >.<
But the station officiers did pretty well in controlling the tickets and let the flood go off the station.
Just in front was a tourist information so I got a programm a little city map of Takayama at once^^v
So ready to get to the city!
 |
| way to the city center |
 |
| shrine where a ceremony would be held later |
The shrines were really beautiful! They led the way to main temple of the city, so I visited it as well^^
 |
| funny guys 'guarding' the shrine |
 |
| way up to the temple |
 |
| passing the orange tori |
 |
| standing in line for praying (but not me XD) |
Back at the main plaza many people had already gathered to catch a view on the three portable shrines standing there where the puppet performance would be held. So I secured a little space for myself. But it was cruel because the plaza got overcrowded and the sun was burning down... I thought I would melt away >.<
But I endured it the whole 50 minutes of the performances. Every shrine made an own performance telling an ancient story of the region. The content of the performances were told in Japanese and English before it started, that was really nice.
 |
| the crowded plaza (left view) |
 |
| shrine #1 |
 |
| the crowded plaza (right view) |
 |
| shrine #3 |
 |
| dragon dancer |
I booked a bed in a women room in a little hostel called 'sakura guest house' X3 It was located a bit outside of the main city but I could the way and was also successful in finding it quite quickly (was it really unusual in Japan).
The receptionist was really nice and showed me everything: my room, the bathroom and showers and the common room.
 |
| the room (for 8 women) |
 |
| the hallway |
 |
| toilet |
 |
| kitchen / common room |
 |
| the hostel |
After a little break I went back to the old city because the procession would start at 7:30 h. All the shrines would be proceed enlightended around the old town before they would be restored in their garages till tomorrow.
I went to the main plaza where the procession would start (and end).
 |
| the 1st shrine |
 |
| the came one after another |
When every shrine was on its way I decided to leave because I had seen everything and it got awefully cold since the sun went down >.<
I was glad when I fell in my bed and got some sleep...
But I was curious what I will see tomorrow though I had experienced more of the program than I had expected so I could start the next day very relaxed...
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