Kabuki Street Koinobori Matsuri May 19

[Izumi Takamine]

On Friday May 19, Kabuki Street and the Zama Shrine will host the yearly koinobori matsuri, or carp banner festival. Many observe the yearly tradition of watching the colorful carp banners being strung on halyards across the canal that defines the Kabuki Street neighborhood's northern boundary traditionally. It is considered good luck to make or purchase a banner bearing ones own family crest to fly in the warm seasonal spring winds. It will also feature a parade and festival games and food stalls located around the Zama Shrine. Jusco, among other shops sell both already assembled banners as well as popular kits for those that wish to craft their own.



The Koinobori Matsuri is a good chance to see people out in their finest kimonos, with all hoping to enjoy the last of the temperate weather before yukata season arrives. Many local shrimps are also anticipating great quantities of their favorite snacks and seeing the Shinsengumi, the Kabuki Street Rengou-kai's de facto police force out in their formal attire and on horseback to patrol and ensure the safety of all festivalgoers.



(this is a board based event. feel free to post about characters visiting the festival, and to post pictures of outfits and carp banners! )

[Misaki Ishikawa]

It wouldn't even be sundown before she started popping fireworks here and there in the alleyways of Kabuki until she was taken by Kana to go about the festivities for food and shrine game fun.

[Kana Tano]

Kana was given the day off, and hurried to find Ishikawa. She only had to follow the loudest fireworks sound, and ushered her away to win her prizes at the festival games.

[PC]

A carp bearing the Takamine family crest flies high once more Koinobori Matsuri alongside Sasaki and Kubo as the three families decided to meet up so their children, Lisa, Cam, and Myia, could enjoy the festival together.

Lisa, being the eldest of the small trio, took it upon herself to lead Cam about to point out the many fun activates the Koinobori Matsui has to offer. Thankfully with the Takamine's and Kubos watching the young Cam this meant that Yuki Sasaki of the Shinsengumi and shrine priestess Hana Sasaki could focus on their roles until later in the night when they set off fireworks for the children.

While the three children were enjoying the games, Izumi along with Yuko Kubo made sure to take lots of pictures of them enjoying the festival. Yuki Sasaki also took pictures of the three families banners for Hana's scrapbook

Na-rae's attire


Izumi's attire

[Mallory]

Mallory, Midori, and Eri set out for Koinobori Matsuri in matching yukata!


((No, Midori is not this big -- not yet!))

It had been a spirited week, starting with Midori's second birthday celebration and ending with Kabuki Street's beloved carp banner festival. The youngest Maeda helped decorate her family crest before stringing it up, which meant that the ribbons trailing it were liberally glittered.

[Jaycy Ashleana]

If anything could be said for Jaycy's tenures as Baroness, it was that she tried to be visible to the people of the district she temporarily served. Sometimes that meant visiting the various festivals and events - such as the koinobori matsuri - held within the Barony's borders. Hopefully dressed to blend in, she opted for a Spring motif. Butterfly wings graced the back of her outfit and obi, and the jadeite butterfly seemed to flutter in free-flowing red-and-silver waves. Three children, a boy and two young girls, accompanied her on and off through the day as they stayed low-key and much to themselves, enjoying the sights and sparing short moments for conversations and laughter with the denizens.

Eventually they hung a hand-made (well, from one of those kits...) banner and left before the fireworks.

[Mai Sato]

With newborn Shiori being watched by her namesake and grandmother, the eldest Shiori, the Sato's would step among the crowds of the Koinobori Matsuri. Thankfully Mai hadn't been carried away and out of the city due to work (though she had a business meeting the very next day). Time with family was a must so she walked about the festival beside her wife Saori and their daughter Juri while shading the two with the umbrella resting upon her shoulder as the light clicks of ippon geta were easily drowned out by the size of the crowd.

A few Shinsengumi appeared to give the Sato's preferential treatment as well, allowing them passage through a blocked off alley so that they could easily cut into another part of the festival without having to wait.

[Hyejin Ri]

Since last year's Koinobori festival, Hye-jin had pestered Jun for riding lessons and so she was eager to ride the horse provided for her patrol. Together with Yuri, the two had a great view of the crowd from their saddles. Hye-jin kept a close eye on all the festivities, but as night arrived she found time for a meal break with Yuri at Kabuki Street's Jollibee. She could later be seen taking a few pictures of her youngest sister, Yu-jin, who was wearing the Shinsengumi's formal uniform for the first time at this festival day.

[Mairead Harker]

Maggie made the rounds of the festival with her young aunts, Abby and Madison, as well as several of her students. Each of the youngsters hung a banner. Some were made from kits and other were made at home and brought over for the occasion. The rabbit shrine, as always, was popular stop. As was her custom, Maggie brought food for the rabbits.

[Patrick]

Patrick and his beloved Beautiful One were spotted in attendance both with and without their furry Temple Dog companion (though, what mischief Red got up to when he wasn’t found trotting along at their heels remained a mystery). They brought with them a carp banner already decorated with streamers and their family crest to fly alongside all the others, and then took their time strolling from stall to stall, where Patrick frequently stopped to play games and win prizes for any of the neighborhood children who asked. Between visits to the shrine, enjoying the parade, and spending time with friends and family, he and Penny were sure to sample lots of food from several stands. At the end of the night they found a cozy spot along the canal from which to watch the fireworks hand in hand.

[BardGallant]

Governor Driscol made an appearance at the festival. As always, he was in the company of his loving life partner Rhys Germain. They walked the streets together almost constantly holding hands and always smiling. Dris made sure they stopped at the Zama Shrine to make a donation, and then they spent quite a bit of time picking out a banner to fly. The Governor enjoyed many of the festival games after watching the parade. In addition to socializing with every friendly face who passed him by, he always stopped for photo opportunities and to sign autographs, as well.

(( Sorry for the late post. Life had me pretty swamped for a few weeks! ))

[Rhys Germain]

Rhys made sure he and his life partner, Dris, arrived early to the festival so they would have plenty of time to see the parade, play games, assemble a carp banner, and partake in all of the other festivities. Since they did not yet have a family crest of their own, the two of them instead wrote the name of their household inside the mouth of their carp before they set it to fly.

After a visit to the Zama Shrine, Rhys was eager to try out some of the vegetarian and pescatarian snacks available in the food stalls, and to see how many familiar faces they could pick out in the crowds.






(( Sorry this is so late. Life has been a bear recently. ))