Little Edo - Kawagoe Festival 1993 & 1994 - 2 Days Trip to Edo Era
This "Kawagoe Festival" English version clip was edited to give to Salem city of Oregon in the U.S.A. This opportunity was that the pictures taken by Mr. Satoshi Munakata; a folk photographer living in Kawagoe were presented to Salem as a sister city of Kawagoe city. You will understand about Kawagoe city and its traditional culture in the beginning of this clip, that's why MICROMEDIA added to tell the American people about the atmosphere and the background of Kawagoe Festival, which could not be imaged through pictures only.
Kawagoe city is getting busy these days and more, NHK's (Japanese National TV Station) very popular serial drama "Tsubasa" has been on-air since 2009 spring locationing in Kawagoe for a year. However, in the first half of the 1990s - "Lost Decade", this clip was taken then and even the main street was not so crowded. Several festival carts could not parade cause of their economic problems. But it was the really time for the residents to put enthusiasm for their traditional festival. Then, Kawagoe festival was held based on the calendar; every October 14 & 15, so tourists were not as many as the present. We remember the word by one chief of a town and he said at close "I thought here were only old people. But today, many of young people came to join. I am really relieved and we will not abandon our town." Some years later, festival was shift to the weekend, guard was increased, and festival carts were all display-lined up in front of Kawagoe city hall.
In March, 2009, Satoshi Munakata Photo (monochrome) Exhibition "Kawagoe 1979 - 2008" was held at JCII Photo Salon. We, exactly found the past Kawagoe in the many of his pictures and remind the images as we assist-went around with him. Electric wires on a main street were buried in the ground and Kawagoe Festival Hall was opened by city government. But we should mention the power of people: one merchant "Tanakaya" put a Jinrikisha (ricksha) on Kashiya Yokocho (Cake Street) as a photo spot and reproduced a room of early Showa era etc. to establish a major sightseeing place here in Kawagoe. Merchants keep their traditional stores, artisans keep their original creation, suburbs keep their traditional performance and Kawagoe area occupy an advantageous location near Tokyo. Such people's spirit and the convenient location are quite related to a large turnout at Kawagoe Festival now.
Enjoy watching Kawagoe Festival in the 1990s (1993 & 1994) with analog film.
Kawagoe Festival: October 14&15, 1993 and October 14&15, 1994 Kagura: April 19, 1995 Ashi-Odori: April 14, 1995 Ohayashi: April 15, 1995
(C) Produced by Virtual Creates / MICROMEDIA Video Camera & Edit: Kunio Monji Translation & Narration: ichico Monji Cooperation & Advice: Munakata Satoshi Photo Office - http://munakata.eyedia.com Special Thanks to: K.K. Puranzu-sha, Cafe Restaurant Horloge - They provided us video spots.
Kawagoe Festival: October 14&15, 1993 and October 14&15, 1994 Kagura: April 19, 1995 Ashi-Odori: April 14, 1995 Ohayashi: April 15, 1995
(C) Produced by Virtual Creates / MICROMEDIA Video Camera & Edit: Kunio Monji Translation & Narration: ichico Monji Cooperation & Advice: Munakata Satoshi Photo Office - http://munakata.eyedia.com Special Thanks to: K.K. Puranzu-sha, Cafe Restaurant Horloge - They provided us video spots.
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