Bon Odori Festival.

We attended a Bon Odori Festival, which is a celebration of the gratefulness one should feel toward one's ancestors. It is around this time in summer that their spirits are believed to return home. This one took place in the plaza of the Kobe Winery, and all the girls got dressed up in yukata (basically a summer kimono). Suzi and Hannah are shown here on the hillside surrounding the winery. Very beautiful!

Okay okay, yes, Kobe Beef. In there you can see the cows receiving spa massages and guzzling beer by the gallon. What a leisurely, pleasure-filled life they lead, huh? And then they get shot in the face.

Here I am with my BINGO card. I was one of many winners, and took home a great bottle of blueberry-flavored wine. The sign in front of the winery read, "Kobe Wine Since 1983," which struck me as odd. Like, I was born before Kobe had wine. That just can't be right, can it?

All of a sudden the women gathered around the drummer and began performing traditional dances in their yukata. What an incredible sight it was watching them move in unison, in such a simple yet elegant style. And then I joined in and tried my hand at it. It reminded me a lot of the trouble I had when I first tried Noh two summers ago, having to restrain my body and avoid moving my hips and such. But it was awesome being part of the circle and just going for it.

The night plaza after dancing. Magnificent.