A Dan in Japan

As I previously mentioned, this weekend marked the end of Obon. It didn`t take long to realize that Nagasaki celebrates Obon in its own unique way. For one, instead of merely lighting lanterns, they create giant lantern boats which are then paraded down the street, many larger boats reached lengths of 30-50 ft and were walked by processions that ranged in size from 5 to 40 people. Certainly this alone was a very cool site, but they took it a step further and behind each boat float was a cart (or two) that weighed 200-300lbs and was filled with fireworks and beer (obviously this can only lead to trouble). Each group literally walked the boat from their house to the docks (and Nagasaki is surrounded by mountains so this is no small feat) spending the entirety of the time chanting, throwing firecrackers, launching fireworks, and drinking.

I realized the procession had started when I heard what sounded like sea waves crashing around my apartment, when I went outside I realized immediately that I would need some earplugs. Its a good thing I bought them too, because fireworks and firecrackers were going off constantly for the next 5-6 hours. I could never see this happening in the US, the streets were lined with people, police were at every corner directing floats and blocking traffic, and amidst it all firecrackers were detonated at my feet, in the air, at officers’ feet, underneath cars, trains, and even in peoples’ hands. The gutsiest guy I had seen was detonating boxes of 100+ firecrackers in his outstretched hand (and I imagine he had been at it awhile because his arms were entirely black), but he was soon outdone by a member of a particularly rambunctious group (they had been doing 360`s with their float and nearly took out 20 or so spectators and later came inches from a collision with a street trolley) who took a cardboard box filled with these boxes of 100+ fireworks each and proceeded to hold it above his head, light it, and run screaming down the street. He went up in a cloud of smoke and tiny explosions and the box eventually caught fire, but apparently he enjoyed it so much that he decided to do it again, this time running circles around the float and ending his journey by colliding with one of the police officers that was trying to stop the aforementioned 360`s.

Unfortunately the boats were turned into scrap at the docks instead of being set into the water (I imagine that dumping hundreds of wooden structures into your harbor every year would hardly be ideal for the environment). The front of each float was marked by a picture of deceased in whose memory it was constructed, and there were a few pictures that I especially enjoyed for their humor (ex: one of an 80 year old man giving a peace-sign while straddling his favorite motorcycle) and a few pictures of younger people which were very touching (as touching as it can be when your dodging fireworks).

At the end of the night, I met up with a group of people that had been pulling one of the floats and was invited to their town hall for a celebration (they lived up on a very high hill so there was alot to celebrate). Thus I ended my Obon with free food and drinks.