Wow! Hwy 188 (Main Street) downtown is full of tables with stuff for sale! Now I wish we had come earlier . . . Soon the streets will be cleared for the parade. This annual festival is to celebrate Autumn and Harvest.


Looking into an open flower shop.


Japanese girl scouts?


Interesting uh, statues? for sale.


I should have bought one.

"Mary's Little Lamb" - actually a goat - has made a mess on the sidewalk & her owner is cleaning it up.


We can hear the music - here comes the parade!


And I'm ready! Kampai!


Right behind Stan is a restaurant that is selling beer outside. Hmmm . . . coincidental that we stood here to watch the parade?


Lovely lady in a coordinating costume - everything matches. I love this fabric!

WATCH THIS ENTERTAINING & VERY SHORT VIDEO of Parasol Kimono dancers. Warning: the music will stay with you!

Marching musicians. These look like the flutes we made from bamboo a few years ago.


Interesting parade floats . . .

Closer view of the pagoda with decorative panes.


Super heroes?


Typical Japanese man - One hand holding camera & the other, beer!


Cute little boy next to us has a good view!

More Japanese Anime characters.








Taiko drums were providing "live music" during much of the parade.


How convenient! Our beer waiter was dispensing draft beer right behind us . . .

WATCH THIS VERY BRIEF VIDEO of two white snakes attacking rice bales. Then listen as the crowd chants "White Snake!" in English!

Two of Iwakuni's famous White Snakes attacking bales of rice, with their handlers all around. Each man had a stick attached to one segment, which made the snakes move in very realistic fashion!


Golden shrine pulled on a wagon by Shinto Priests . . . ?


Closer view.


New friends . . .


Head of a snake.


I think the White Snake was my favorite part of the parade!

WATCH THIS VERY BRIEF VIDEO to see how "alive" these two White Snakes look during their dance together - Sugoi! (amazing)

It took a lot of men to bring this snake to life & they did a fabulous job!








Little cutie!


Japanese pilots in scaled-down versions of their aircraft.

Don't see this style hat very often. I think it's from ancient times. I think it makes a woman very mysterious since most of her face is hidden.





The Japanese girl scouts.





Closer view of some of the men in kimono.

Parasols twirling . . .


Kimono in every imaginable color. What a fabulous parade!


Little girl gently touching the large inflatable statue behind us.


As the parade ended, we walked into Iwakuni's covered shopping street and into a coffee shop to sip coffee & rest. Many of the parade participants were also coming in here.


Each cup of coffee is made fresh.

It smells SO good in here!


Blue flame under the coffeemaker.


Back outside, we found a street with food vendors.


Grilling squid that will soon become squid on a stick!


Cute girls in red kimono. We made lots of new friends today!