Capitalizing on Kappa.

I spent the morning yesterday at a fun Summer Festival at Carl School in Shiogama and as an added bonus to seeing happy kiddies, I managed to dispense a couple of boxes of my spare toys.

Buuuut, I couldn't wait for the event to end so I could skedaddle to Shikama Town for a Kappa Festival!

I missed out on one of the highlights, a cheerleading session by the 89ers gals. Fortunately I arrived in time to meet a few and score a Clear File.

I spent the next several hours, just wandering around and mingling with the locals. I came prepared and in my spiky knapsack, I included a Kappa poking out the back.

Here's the lineup of entertainment and the first act I caught were some punks playing heavyish metal/ Japanese HipHop.

Naruse DEF*LE*SPIRAL

Fine background noise though nothing special. I grabbed a drink of ume, mainly because I wanted to take a picture of this container.

I met my first Yokai!

A very cool statue.

The town mascot, Kawaryo Kappei.

Woohoo, the cheerleaders are back!

The next band on stage were a quartet of J-poppers. Not great, not terrible.

I met my first Kappa (Kappette?), a rather risqué rendition.

 

Then I met a pair of Kappa, Kapperi and Mako.

I played darts and won a puzzle and then played ring toss and won a flag.

Time for a dinner break and discovered amongst the food carts, an American dude selling burritos.

I ordered some quesadillas and a burrito. I couldn't finish it all and had it for lunch today.

 

He threw in a the last of his Chile con Carne for free!

He lives and works in Sendai, so perhaps I'll seek him out again.

Almost time for the big parade, so I adorned my Kappa-feet and added a Kappa-cap.

This parade was fully organized with groups gathered together, joined one of the groups as a straggler.

We then marched up and down the street, while dancing to Kappa Boogie Woogie. Here is a lively rendition of that tune by Hibari Misora.

 

I discovered the lyrics if you'd like to sing along.

Kappa Odori wa boogie woogie (The Kappa’s dance is boogie woogie)
Youki ni Tanoshiku (very fun in the sunlight)
Mizutama Tobashite Odore yo (kick up water drops and dance!)
DON to Tobikome Ukiagare (jump in (the water) with a (sound of) DON! and float up)
Shibuki wa Pacha pacha pacha pacha kyah! (the spray goes splish splash splish splash, eek!) (pacha is the Japanese onomatopoeia for water splashes)
Kappa boogie woogie kyah! (The Kappa’s Boogie Woogie, eek!)

Youki ni Tanoshiku (very fun in the sunlight)
Mizutama Tobashite Odore yo (kick up water drops and dance!)
DON to Tobikome Ukiagare (jump in (the water) with a (sound of) DON! and float up)
Shibuki wa Pacha pacha pacha pacha kyah! (the spray goes splish splash splish splash, eek!) (pacha is the Japanese onomatopoeia for water splashes)
Kappa boogie woogie kyah! (The Kappa’s Boogie Woogie, eek!)

I filmed a minute of the less lively version, so check out the groovy dance.

Here are a few of the participants.

This guy carried a very realistic looking Kappa-Miira puppet.

It's that Kappa gal from earlier who changed outfits for the parade. 

The guy on the right is a friend of a friend! Here he is promoting the town...

 

After the parade, a crowd of over 1000 waited around for a Lucky Draw. Alas, I didn't win a thing.

By the way, this was not my first visit to Shikama. I went to an onsen last September and met a curious looking Kappa. (Check that link for a few more pics.)

I forgot to mention that one of the paraders I traveled with gave me a fan and long towel!

I'll be sure to go back there next year!