17 May 2009 Traditional Japanese Horsemanship
The other day we went back to our old stomping grounds in Fushimi for a great festival held at Fujinomori Shrine (藤森神社). The shrine is supposedly over 1800 years old, and was probably originally situated where it is because of a spring with delicious water; I used to bring a bunch of big water bottles there to fill up once a week or so. The shrine is, among other things, dedicated to horses as a symbol of victory and success (which is why you see guys making offerings there every Saturday morning on their way to the race track).
This particular festival involves exhibitions of traditional Japanese horsemanship: both tack and tricks that military horsemasters would perform to taunt the opposing army.
Japanese festivals of course always offer lots of stalls with scrumptious squid pancakes, octopus balls, and french fries for the kids. Not to mention lots of games where they can win plastic junk to take home and annoy their parents with.
I love the fact that these guys are so macho, they are not embarrassed or self-conscious about their traditional attire. Well, maybe the guy on the left is.
full exif & map
I’ll save the actual trick riding for later, but leave you with a little teaser….
