one of the many things we love about living in Japan is the seamless blend of old and new. The skyscraper next to the ancient temple, the western house next to a more traditional Japanese structure and like today a まつり(festival) in the middle of a busy street. We were at an English event and I saw this occurring outside. People from a neighborhood will get together and carry their shrine for miles, participants of all ages and walks of life coming together for celebration and to pay respect. Meanwhile life goes on around them, no one is yelling out rude things for the imposition, oh and some of the older dudes pop into McD’s for a nugget break. Mind you there’s no judgment here because those Shrines weigh several hundred pounds and it’s a HOT day!!