Obon Matsuri at Japanese Garden in Hasselt 2012

Last Saturday 18th of August , to conclude the  'Obon Childrens Days' week  in the Japanese Garden in Hasselt, the Japanese Cultural Centre organised a Nocturnal Obon Matsuri ( Bon Festival ).
(click on the pictures and a large version will open in a second window )

Entering the garden through the small tori at the entrance.

It's a sunny day and hardly anyone is around at this time so I have the waterfall and the garden all to myself.

In front of the centre stage , where the taiko drums are waiting, lots of colourful origami cranes from the Kids Days. ( the giant kanji character behind the stage is 'matsuri' )

Across from the stage the children have also hung up ema (wooden wishing tablets) with their wishes ( these will be burned later )

Some of the wishes  : " A healthy baby ", "Red soup with meatballs" , " Peace for everybody", " I want to be a ballerina "...

At the festival tent , I meet Ben en Maaike of the KDJ NL , who've just finished the first course of their Japanese festival dinner.

Lovely dinnerware !  Ooh, sake cups :)

While they're eating, I take a look around the garden. Behind the stage a lawn has been 'planted' with little white rabbits for the children to take home and colour. They'll be able to use them as entry cards for the Moon festival end of september.
Behind the lawn a woman is telling Japanese fairy tales.

The sun is starting to set and people are gathering in front of the stage

 
The taiko drummers are warming up

 but they can not go on stage yet because first two groups of children were give us their own performance on the taiko ^^.

Taiko drumming is fun :)

Now that the drums have been warmed up ,

let's drum :)

it's a lot of fun for adults too ^^

Behind the kitchen, the chef and staff from Oishii are arranging the dessert.

Night has set in and while the bon odori ( lit. : bon dance ) is starting up,  I stroll off into the garden
for a few night shots.

The bridge from the tea house has been strung with blue lights and across the pond the bon odori is in full swing.

Lots of candlelight everywhere and the lighting has been left on.

The chochin ( paper lanterns) from the toro nagashi ceremony have drifted across the pond.

with the tea house fully lighted

and silhouetted against the night sky.

Till next time.