Ponpokoren – Awaodori
If you’re in Tokyo on the 28th of this month I really recommend the annual Kitamachi Awaodori festival up in Nerima ward! One of the teams that will perform is the local Ponpokoren, with their funky uniforms and fantastic energy they will be sure to put a smile on your face. I saw them the first time in the big Koenji Awaodori festival last year and they were great. Ponpokoren (ぽんぽこ連) have been around since 1993 and will be part of the 1600 strong dance performance on the Kitamachi Awaodori festival (link here). A must see!
Don’t miss the girl on the fourth to last photo – not a technically interesting picture perhaps, but during the awaodori dance routine, there’s a certain place where the dancers, all of them or in groups, will suddenly strike a pose and just hold it. I was kneeling down to get a good photo at just the moment when the whole group froze and this girl was just in front of me, so close that my camera couldn’t focus properly! You can see in her face just how hot it was that evening!
They are so colorful. I can feel their energy from your photos. How considerate, they freeze for the photographers!
I like to think they freeze for me! (^-^) Thanks for the comment Emma!
Hadn’t heard of these guys. I see what you mean about the energy! Will look out for them at Kitamachi.
Was going to say, “that doesn’t look like Kitamachi, it’s more like the Pal Shotengai in Koenji” but then I spotted the Koenji tag…
Looks like they’re right in front of us at this year’s Kitamachi.
What luck! Wish I could go see it! (^-^;)
Haha… I expect you to know your shoutengais! (^-^)
Love the photos, esp. the expressions in the first one! ^-^
Thank you! I’m glad you like them! (^-^)
The kids are really cute, and everyone seems to enjoy the dance! i like the purple-white coloring as well!
Oh and a question, that pattern, is that a mouse on their clothes/fans? Its cute
Thanks Timi! Wow, that is a really good question, well spotted! I don’t really know… my gut reaction was to say it’s a squirrel, but I might be wrong! Probably is wrong. (^-^;)
Very nice… colours, xprssion n full of energy…
Thank you Loco Gorilla! (^-^)/
ぽんぽこ連で大太鼓をやっている者です。素敵な写真をありがとうございます。今年もぽんぽこ連一同頑張ります。応援よろしくお願いします！！
鶴様、コメントありがとうございます！よかったら写真使ってください！素晴らしいショーをこれからも出来るだけたくさん見に行きます！