I wrote in detail about this upcoming festival（河内音頭祭り） a couple of months ago so I just wanted to provide a quick update for those who may be interested in attending a fun summer festival out in Yao City, Higashi Osaka this summer. 東大阪・八尾市・お盆・祭り
Several of my students have asked about the details of this festival so since many of them read my postings here, I decided to… do some quick research and here are a couple of links which provide details about date, time and place for this festival. I am organizing a group of students to head over together with me.
If you are interested please ask me in class next time at Smiths School of English in Fuse. I would love to have you join our group! (スミス英会話布施)
I should point out here that there are several Kawachi Ondo Festivals held in Yao City every year. One of my students at Smiths School of English in Fuse kindly took the time to research the details and send them over to me by email recently. Here they are:
1. There is a parade and Kawachi Ondo Festival put on by Yao City Hall on the 29th and 30th of August, and the details can be found here.
http://www.rurubu.com/event/detail.asp?ID=13616 （日本語）
http://www.city.yao.osaka.jp/0000004456.html （日本語）
2. The event that I plan to attend however will be held on the 23rd and 24th of August and this will be held on the grounds of the Joukouji Temple which is the birthplace of Kawachi Ondo.
Kawachiya Kikusuimaru (河内家 菊水丸) will perform at this event on Sunday the 23rd. He is the most famous singer of kawachi ondo folk music. He was born in Yao City and he has performed all over the world. I am very much looking forward to hearing him sing that evening! 常光寺の盆踊り
If you would like to know more, please check out his homepage:
http://kikusuimaru.jp/ ((河内家 菊水丸)
These festivals（河内音頭祭り） which will take place in August are about a 5 minute walk from Kintetsu Yao Station on the Kintetsu Osaka line. 近鉄八尾から徒歩5分
If you are coming from Namba, Kintetsu Yao Station is only about a 15 minute ride from Kintetsu Namba Station or about 10 minutes from Osaka Uehonmachi Station on the Kintetsu Osaka Line.
I’m looking forward to the many food vendors, good music, fun dancing and good times!
近鉄難波から１５分・大阪上本町から１２分
Enjoy,
Alessandro “Alex” Stanciu
アレッサンドロ”アレックス”スタンシュー
Smith’s School of English Fuse
月謝制 の スミス 英会話 布施 校
Alex,
Thanks for the update and information. Seems like a really fun Japanese summer festival. Looking forward to reading about it after the fact (and maybe seeing some pictures?) Keep us posted! Will you be wearing a summer yukata when you go?
Edward, SSE Ohtsu