Summer Dancing Festival

Saturday marked the celebration of Summer in Ibara, Okayama. Most cities towns in Japan celebrate the four seasons, and Ibara jams out by dancing and fireworks. Workin for city government, I'm part of one of the designated groups that dances. But wait...we haven't learned any dances? No worries, just go out there and COPY everyone. Oh lord... The photo above is the little outfit that was given to me. Directly (and somewhat indirectly) translated, it reads: Ibara City Hall Worker for the Betterment of Society...or something like that?

Anyways, back to the dancing...it kicked off with these chika's doing some crazy traditional dancing...

Turns out the dancing wasn't all that bad after all.... There were 3 dances they did over and over...progessing the streets and city blocks around the city. Didn't take that long to learn, and thank God there wasn't much technique...as indicated by my ridiculously drunk Japanese co-workers who were shoving each other, repeatidly picking their wedgies, and making fun of each others genetial...That's the way to celebrate, right?!

Dancing went late into the night. What happened after all the dancing stopped? More a boozin'... and the first one that passed out got teabagged! Just kidding, but I was tempted do that whole 'cultural exchange' thing I signed up for...