Famous Festival in Japan 3, a photo from Gifu, Chubu

Photographer's Note

I went a bit off track yesterday, but now I am back with a photo of the festival of Takayama.

This particular shot I took reminds me of Chinese New Year, but in Japan but in Spring. I think the Japanese did take the idea of from the Chinese New year festival and changed it slightly.

In China the instrumentals were drums and cymbals, but in Japan they were flutes.

The Lion is meant to bring good luck to each house, if it enters it after a ritual dance, to bring prosperity and good luck.

In the Chinese version, the dance goes on for longer and looks better with different kinds of dances, but the Japanese version is only limited to one without the 9 emotions of the lion entering the house like the Chinese version.

The Chinese Lions are much more colourful and noisy too.

I hope you enjoy it

elihesamian, Steely, carper, jrj, nwoehnl has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

elihesamian (26149) 2004-04-18 11:46

Great angle of view,Daniel !
Musical shot:).It`s very live.The posture of the man with his hands & slant line of music instroment are excellent composed.The background with lovely light is well captured.It seems simple but I think ,the pic is very nice & perfect.
Well done.

Steely (895) 2004-04-18 12:22

Dan, this is a very good perspective, over the shoulder of the fluteplayer looking on at the lion dance.
I like the shallow DOF
cheers!

carper (96) 2004-04-18 13:30

Well Daniel I think you are one of the promotors of the festifal, good composition, good colours very good note great job.

jrj (34843) 2004-04-18 14:03

Good shot, fine addition again in the series of daily life. I like it..

nwoehnl (122) 2004-04-18 14:28

Interesting peek across the shoulder of the flutist, Dan. Fun colorful scene, something quite out of the ordinary by Central European standards. Well captured, and well annotated.