I enjoy festivals mostly because of the food stalls. I am especially fond of festivals on nice summer nights. However, I recently developed a deeper appreciation of festivals because I had the opportunity to help with carrying the mikoshi in one. It was such an awesome experience and really made me feel like part of my community. 

These photos are from Honjo City, Saitama’s Autumn Festival. I didn’t help out in this one, but it was still a sight to see, especially at night when everything lit up.

If you have the opportunity to go to a festival, I highly recommend it!