The Ojiya Balloon Festival
Posted 21 Feb 2009 - 20:02 by Mark Gardner
First stop this morning was to see Isa-san to conduct the short interview with him for Nishikigoi Mondo. Thereafter we headed off to catch up with Mano-san (Izumiya).
Mano-san was busy working at The Ojiya Balloon Festival but kindly spared us some time for Aika to conduct the interview.
Whilst I don't know all of the answers to the questions posed, Aika did say that both were very proud of the fact that Fujita-sans work would be available to a wider audience around the globe.
The festival took place on land, which would normally have been rice fields, behind the Jusco superstore. Along one main strip there were stalls selling all sorts of Japanese food and beverages.
One was selling 'Doburoku', seemingly quite popular around these parts. Somewhat cruelly I suggested that Aika just had to try it - I felt even more guilty when I realised that a cupful was 800yen! Wikipedia explains - 'classic home-brew style of sake....It is created by simply adding kōji mold or sake lees to steamed rice and water and letting the mixture ferment. The resulting sake is somewhat like a chunkier version of nigorizake.'
It's appearance and texture are somewhat similar to gone off milk, it is quite vial!
The soba noodles with tempura vegetables from the Wataya stall, Wataya being a large noodle shop in Ojiya, was far more palatable!
Further along teams, thankful for all the snow that fell last week, were busy sculpting large snow statues. I shall pop back tomorrow to see the finished results.
The guys from the Ojiya bullfight were also present making Mochi. If you don't know what Mochi is you can read more here on my old blog. Once they'd finished I can only assume that someone shouted the Japanese equivalent of 'come and get it' because there was a huge rush by the spectators to the serving table!
As darkness fell this evening the 'Glow Balloon Festival' took place with some of the ballons from the earlier race lit up in the night sky as they fired their burners.
Sadly I misjudged where the fire work display was going to go off.
