In Short
Alishan has reached Kyushu and sailed
north as far as Nagasaki prefecture. We’d changed our original plan: Instead of
moving on to Fukuoka we decided to hang around untill Edwin and Melissa had
arrived in Japan. Our 21 and 24 year old niece and nephew from Holland were
going to spend a month with us and the sail from Nagasaki to Fukuoka would be a
lot more fun together. They would see the country side and get some city life,
starting off with the exciting O’Kunchi festival.
Once in Fukuoka we would have to face the big dilemma: What next? Should we stay in our old hometown for the winter and run the risk of getting stuck again, or continue to someplace new? Mutsukashii!
In Goto we were so happy with
our berth at the pontoon in Fukue, we stayed put and did all the exploring from
there with our bicycles and a rental car. Local people were very friendly, giving
us discounts and the vet, who gave Wakame her yearly shots, even remembered
Nori’s accident 4 years before. We met Mrs. Ozeki, who helped us out that time
and it all felt good.
Alishan in Fukue, which is now called Goto city, in the Goto Retto island group, just west of Nagasaki city.
We were more or less filling in time, waiting for our visitors and the start of the O’Kunchi festival. We got the boat ready as much as possible: creating space for 2 more people and their luggage is not an easy task. It was still hot and humid this early October, but by the end of the month that would (hopefully!) have changed. Edwin and Melissa would need proper bedding and space to stow their socks and sweaters; hard to imagine after 4 years of sweating and the hottest summer in centuries. We were so absorbed in our preparations; we nearly missed a local festival.
On October 2nd the town got dressed up and marched in a parade through the streets. There was music and drums of course and it was very colorful and entertaining.
Local companies had their staff dressed in uniformal yukatas (summer kimonos) and the groups danced their way through the shopping streets in the afternoon.
At night the real festival spirit broke through, when groups of youngsters showed their version of dressing up and traditional dance.
Huge paper lantarns called nebuta were lit, rigged on wagons and wheeled through town, their historical themes based on international exchange with China.
On Sunday the 3rd the matsuri ended with fireworks.
The backpack of this concrete giant in festival gear
is a public telephone and in working order!
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