Chochin Matsuri

Chochin Matsuri was the best!! It was such an honor to be apart of it. I ran myself into the ground making sure everything would go well, as I'm sure did everyone else apart of the festival. I wasn't able to take many pictures myself, but through the efforts of friends and our members, pictures were taken to document this historic even between all the Oiran Houses of SL. I won't go too much into detail with each picture, but will put them all into groups of day, and by event.

Day 1

Festival Grand Opening & Oiran Dochu

Matsubaya & Shinmachi 

Kabuki Performance - Kasane by Sinmachi

Day 2

The Reconciliation" (adapted from the Kwaidan tales) by Lafcadio Hearn

by Matsubaya

 The Final Day

Tsunemasa by Shinmachi

                               
                                    Konohanasakuya-hime and the Great Sakura by Matsubaya

I was unable to go to them all, and some I couldn't take pictures for. If you know anyone, or you yourself have pictures, please send me an IM in world. I'd love to be able to have photos up here from all of the shows.

Ookini san dosu

~Higurashi~

Chochin Matsuri Schedule

Only Two more days till the Grand Festival!!! I'm so excited! Everyone has been putting forth such effort to make this festival the very best it can be. I can't to see everyone dressed to the 9's in all their silks and katsura and kanzashi. Eeeeeeeeee!!! This girlish squeal of mine. Can't wait!!! I hope to see you all there!

Here is the schedule for chochin Matsuri.

Chouchin Matsuri (Lantern Festival)
October 19th though 21st
Presented by Shinmachi, Suigetsu and Matsubaya Oiran and Tayuu Houses

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Friday, October 19th
   
    Festival Grand Opening
        Time: 4pm slt
        Event: Oiran Dochu (grand courtesan parade)
        Title: "Courtesans of Old Yoshiwara"
        Location: Yukaku Ryukin Building at Kurogawa Machi

    Kabuki Performance
        Time: 6pm slt
        Title: "Kasane"
        Host: Shinmachi
        Location: Mango Theater, Mango
-----------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, October 20th
   
    Ozashiki and Festival Activities
        Time: Noon slt
        Title: "The Single Lantern"
        Host: Shinmachi
        Location: Yukaku Ryukin Building at Kurogawa Machi

    Performance              
        Time: 3pm slt
        Title: "The Reconciliation" (adapted from the Kwaidan tales) by Lafcadio Hearn
        Host: Matsubaya
        Location: Suigetsu/Matsubaya Festival Location

    Kabuki Performance
        Time: 5pm slt
        Title: "Yotsuya Kaidan (四谷怪談)"
        Host: Shinmachi
        Location: Yukaku Ryukin Building at Kurogawa Machi

    Performance
        Time: 8pm slt
        Title: "Hoichi the Earless"
        Host: Suigetsu
        Location: Suigetsu/Matsubaya Festival Location
 -----------------------------------------------------------          
Sunday, October 21st
   
    Kabuki Performance
        Time: 3pm slt
        Title: "Tsunemasa"    
        Host: Shinmachi
        Location: Yukaku Ryukin Building at Kurogawa Machi
   
    Festival Closing Performance
        Time: 6pm slt
        Title: "Konohana and the Great Sakura"
        Host: Matsubaya
        Location: Suigetsu/Matsubaya Festival Location
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Oiran Shurayuki & Tayuu Higurashi

A picture of the Teacher and Student before Higurashi became the Tayuu she is today

Chochin Matsuri at Matsubaya and Suigetsu

This festival features enormous chochin (paper lanterns), also known as "amazingly gigantic lanterns," which measure over 5 meters in diameter and 10 meters in length. The 12 sets of paper lanterns appearing at the festival are depicted with pictures and Chinese characters which embody all kinds of meanings and stories. The scene of the Dai-Chochin Tsuriage when the huge brightly-colored paper lanterns are hoisted up very slowly is just breathtaking.

The festival originates in a legend dating back about 450 years. At that time, a fire usually ignited to illuminate the surroundings for patrolling was lit at Suwa Shrine in order to drive away sea demons which emerged from the sea, ravaging the fields and bringing serious harm upon the inhabitants. Ever since then, it became the custom to ignite kagari-bi as a Shinto ritual at the festival. These kagari-bi were later replaced by chochin lanterns and competition to produce the biggest and most gorgeous lanterns has resulted in their present form. 

The most exciting scene of the festival is when gigantic 1-meter tall candles are lit inside the enormous chochin lanterns. As soon as the candles are lit, the colorful motifs of famous Japanese myths, etc. depicted on the chochin lanterns appear, creating a world of fantasy. This is truly a moment of Japanese myths and old folktales being passed down through the generations. Spectators also experience a pleasant sense of excitement as if witnessing a historic scene.

***Chochin Festival  Community Event***

October 19th - 21st, 2012

Matsubaya will perform Tales from the Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things  (ghost stories) adapted from the original Heian era' Konjaku Monogatarishū' (今昔物語集 lit. Anthology of Tales from the Past) by Patrick Lafcadio Hearn  


 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ****** *** *** ***
Friday, October 19th
3pm slt
            Grand Opening of the Festival
                Oiran Dochu at Maruyama Hanamachi
                Opening Performance: Courtesans of Old Yoshiwara

*** *** *** ***

Saturday, October 20th
3pm slt           Matsubaya Kwiadan stories  
8pm slt            Suigetsu Performance

 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ****** *** *** ***

Sunday, October 21st
6pm slt
            Closing Performance for the Lantern Festival at Matsubaya