mercy me

when I set off on my ride today I spotted the skeletons of the red and white stalls that are synonymous with festivals. by the time I returned, the small streets of abiko felt like osaka station on a weekday morning. after a soak and some scran I headed down to the local temple to check out the action: the roads were all closed off and the hundreds of stalls lined every route in.

I browsed the stalls and felt pity for most of the owners who were sitting in the freezing cold behind their tat that no-one wanted. a few of them were interesting: some selling sweet amazake and there were a few turks punting some very sketchy looking kebabs (I guess those dripping rotunds of mechanically recovered sheep are difficult to get through customs?).

it was very busy inside the complex and the air was thick with incense. I was drawn to the noise of horns and drums from one corner and then noticed there was also a fire there. there was beer too - crates of the stuff. the monks were performing a ritual on some folk: to the untrained eye (mine) it looked like a cross between an exorcism and receiving a knighthood. to make the sight even more alien was the fact they were wearing a type of fur loin cloth and were dressed in multi colours - one was blowing a big shell. the duke of edinburgh probably would have reached for his rifle.

it was all very exotic and I was impressed with the turn out. when I got back I did a web search. it explained a fair amount.