Matsuri time! Izakaya and the barbershop feeling!

I went to two festivals this week. A smaller festival in one of the older streets of Matsumoto and the Taimatsu-matsuri. Both were fun, but in very different ways.

The smaller festival
This festival took place in the oldest street of Matsumoto. It is located near the castle of Matsumoto. This festival had various food stalls, games to play, music and the temple.
Among them was a traditional game where you try to catch goldfish with a piece of paper. This piece of paper is strung in a sort of spoon with a hole in it. The idea is to catch the fish and put it in your cup. However, the piece of paper is really thin so it is really hard.
It's a game for small children and I do believe they still get a goldfish at the end if they didn't catch any.
Then comes the food! Ahhhhh so much food! Different Japanese dishes you normally only find at these festivals. I ordered some Takoyaki. This is a dish where you have squid inside a small ball of dough. In it is also union and other ingredients I couldn't place. On top they place fish flakes, something sour and mayonnaise. You then get two pointy sticks and eat them with a stick.
After eating this dish and another dish that also included squid, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a fan of it. Next time I'll order me something different :P
At the end of this matsuri was also a fireworks show. I thought it looked nice, but my tutor said it wasn't that spectacular. According to him they normally have bigger fireworks.
Now this was the first small matsuri, what followed next was something I've never seen before and will most likely only see in Japan.

The Taimatsumatsuri!
This is a festival that is held to honour something. I think it is the local deity. Anyway, not that important for now. What is important is the festival itself. Another name for it would be the fire festival. Large groups of people dragging stacks of hay up a mountain to eventually burn it on a big bonfire. Doing just this would be too plain for Japan of course! So they set fire to the haystacks to make it more exciting. They try to make sure the haystack isn't fully on fire, more smouldering. To create as much smoke as possible and also have something left when you reach the top of the mountain. At the front of the crowd is a truck with multiple drummers on it and a couple of drummers walking along. This also gave it the real festival feeling.
In the beginning we helped along a small group of children and adults with most of the exchange students. They had a small hay stack and it wasn't properly on fire. But as the evening went along we moved away from this. Eventually we (me, Paul and Yik Fung) helped a couple of people carrying (instead of dragging) a huge hay stack.
Another thing of this festival is that everybody gets ashes smeared over their face. This is a sign of good luck and friendship. And yes, yours truly also had his face smeared. On the way to the top it gets harder as the road gets steeper. During the trip drinks are also passed on to the people helping along. I was passed a couple of beers, but at the end also a bit of 日本酒(Japanese sake). A old man came to me with a big bottle of sake and asked if I wanted a sip. Which I did, and it was so freaking good. The worst part is that I have no clue what type of sake it was or the name of it. I did look like a sake you would only find in the basement of a old man who lives at the end of a blind alley where he had been making sake for his entire life. That kind of sake you just need to know the name of and the place to buy it from.
Also again, lots of food stalls. This time I ordered myself a burger shaped dish. In it was dough, union, some vegetable and pork. It was really nice, and I wouldn't mind eating that again.
Eventually we reached the top of the mountain were the haystacks were burnt on a big bonfire near the temple. You could then visit the temple and would receive a bit of sake after you made a prayer (not as good as old guy sake).
In the end this was one the most fun festivals I have ever been to and something you will only find in Japan. This would be impossible in the Netherlands.

Izakaya party!
On the Friday evening (day after the fire festival) we had planned to go a izakaya together. A izayaka is a place where you can drink and order food at the same time whilst sitting at big table together. We did this with most of the Dutch exchange students and their tutors. Also a couple of other people that go to our university tagged along. The way you order is very easy in Japan, you press a button that is on the table and someone will come to take your order. Efficient and very relaxing, no need to try and get the waiters attention.
At the izakaya we (me and Yik Fung) also completed a part of the pact we made in Netherlands. We told a joke and after that we did our Viking laugh with beer-mugs in hand! A short clip is provided on my Facebook page for those interested. It is, however, a bit disappointing as the real deal was a lot more fun.
After the izakaya we did some karaoke as well. Did try to sing, but I know out of experience that I'm not good at singing.
Again we had a lot of fun. I believe I came back home at about 4.30 in the morning and went to sleep at about 5.

The barbershop!
Yik Fung and myself made a pact before the summer. We would let our beards grow and have them shaven off after going to a izakaya and doing the Viking laugh. We completed the requirements of the pact so it was time. We went into a barber shop where we knew an old man worked. These things must be done by old men with years of experience for they know best. The whole process took about 15minutes and costed us 1000 yen (about 8 Euro). He was doing this job for about 50 years.
First the old man put shaving cream onto my face. This is followed by a hot towel. He then takes of the remaining shaving cream and puts on new cream on one side of the face. He then proceeds shave it with this single edged razor blade. Next the other side of the face follows. This is again covered by a hot towel. Next comes a aftershave cream and some talc powder.
The following step was a bit of a shock, but apparently also the forehead is shaven. After this again a hot towel. This whole process took roughly 15minutes and ended in a nice cleanly shaven Tim. Which has been a rare sight for the last 4-5 months.

This is it for this time. I had a blast this week and hope many more will follow.