MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- As the summer months come to an end and the fall season begins, festivals filled with food stands, music and dancing in the streets are being held all over Japan in celebration of this year’s harvest.
Following suit, the city of Iwakuni, Iwakuni Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Iwakuni Tourism Association hosted the 53rd annual Iwakuni Festival in downtown Iwakuni Sunday.
Approximately 97,000 people poured into the streets to participate in the festival offering live music, parades, contests and prizes.
“The city has a lot of friendship exchange, civic and volunteer activities it offers to the community,” said Shima Arai, an Iwakuni local.
“The festival was a great way to bring all of that to the public,” she added.
Arai said she just moved to Iwakuni in April and coming to the festival with her children while having fun, gives her a good idea of what the regional people are like.
A number of city blocks around the downtown train station were closed to traffic to provide room for the event.
Local school bands and musical groups paraded down the streets of Iwakuni, filling the spectators’ ears with the sounds of snare drums, trumpets and flutes to announce the beginning of the day’s festivities.
Young children could be seen clapping their hands and marching in time with
the drum beats as the school bands and musical groups passed by.
In addition to the parade, a small bazaar selling local foods and items was set up to be invaded by festival goers searching for trinkets, clothing and art.
A number of stages were constructed providing a venue for musical performances. Various musical groups took to the stage, entertaining the public with musical numbers ranging from traditional Japanese sounds to modern hip-hop beats.
Arai said she and her children had a good time at the festival.
Among one of the stands set up giving away prizes to the public was one set up by Iwakuni-based Marines and sailors.
“I thought coming out would be really good to build relations,” said Lance Cpl. David Chy, a Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 avionics calibrator.
“It‘s all about community relations. We want to have a stronger bond with the public,” he added.
Marines and sailors of MALS-12 and Combat Logistics Company 36 spent the day posing for pictures with Japanese locals, playing rock, paper, scissors, and handing out candy and stickers to children.
Toward the end of the festival, the thunder of Taiko drums was heard announcing the beginning of the closing parade.
Various groups from around Iwakuni took to the streets dancing and parading down to the train station until the music ended and everyone broke out in cheers while clapping their hands.
“The festival was great,” said Chy. “Great entertainment, great food. It was a lot of fun.”