A parade went past my house!

Really it was just one float, but it was the most excitement my tiny little street had seen in a while (probably since Election Day, when cars carrying megaphoned candidates drove by over and over, those up for election shouting the details of their campaign platforms for all apartment buildings to hear). First came some women and kids... Then came the men...

And they were helping pull this:

The traditional Japanese floats I've seen have been intricately carved, extremely tall, and typically "hauled" by a large group of people (whether the float is motorized or it really is being pulled). I like how the long hauling ropes corral the participants, emphasizing the sense of community and cooperation that festivals celebrate. This neighborhood assemblage was headed for Sumpu Park, near the city center, for Shizuoka Matsuri. Various floats paraded into the park, where there was taiko drumming, lots of food carts, and an appearance by a Japanese celebrity (I forget his name; I didn't wait in line for an autograph).
Unfortunately the day was dreary, with showers on and off into the evening…however, the show went on: raincoat-clad dancing troupes filled Shizuoka's city center that night, performing coordinated routines to peppy, blaring music. And almost everyone looked like they were having a great time on the shiny wet streets!