An 8-Day Journey Through the 'Rising Dragon'
DAY 4: Monday
Takayama Autumn Festival (Gifu)
![Takayama Autumn Festival (Gifu)](https://imgcp.aacdn.jp/img-a/600/auto/global-aaj-front/article/2016/11/58242c4b5ca8e_5824240d9752e_1900713390.jpg)
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/therobertlewis/1/1477941535/tpod.html
Today’s activities centered around one of the highlights of the tour: the Takayama Autumn Festival. Though a relatively small castle town, the old streets of Takayama are flooded with sightseers every October 9 and 10, coming to see one of the top three most beautiful festivals across the whole of Japan. And it is indeed a spectacle. The main attractions are the ornately decorated yatai, for which the translation “float” does little justice in describing their intricate beauty (see the pictures, you’ll know what I mean).
![](https://imgcp.aacdn.jp/img-a/600/auto/global-aaj-front/article/2016/11/58242c4ce16f6_582423d6848d1_655611991.jpg)
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/therobertlewis/1/1477941535/tpod.html
Atop a special one, named Hoteitai, a karakuri doll performance is held twice daily, really showing off what can be done with strings and a bit of elbow grease. There is certainly something mesmerizing about watching the mechanical puppets and their dances, the effect dampened only slightly when a hooded figure emerged, head bowed, to place a fallen puppet back on its swing.
The seriousness with which the performance is undertaken is tangible: I found out later I had been sitting next to the local governor, and there was even a TV crew filming the understandably nervous puppet master as he called up words of encouragement to his crew working in the wings above.
![](https://imgcp.aacdn.jp/img-a/600/auto/global-aaj-front/article/2016/11/58242c4e69ecd_582425fc3202a_703323406.jpg)
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/therobertlewis/1/1477941535/tpod.html
Following this spectacle we spent an afternoon wandering the old town, essentially eating as much as possible while following the yatai parade and enjoying the olde-world atmosphere, well preserved to the smallest detail. And, as I noticed many times on this trip, a strong sense of community hung plain in the air for all to see. It seemed everyone was chipping in—young and old, male and female, dragon-head-wearing and non-dragon-head-wearing. Though the younger townspeople were clearly becoming exhausted as the festivities continued, it was uplifting to be part of a time-honored event that is so clearly by the people, for the people, and not simply a hollow shell for tourists.