Yoshiwara Gionsai – Yodahara Hunks

Not sure what it will do for the balance of the men/women ratio on this blog, but I seriously must post these photos from the wonderful Yoshiwara Gionsai festival in Fuji City earlier this month. In this festival, every neighborhood of the city puts up their own “dashi” and make sure it is manned with as many people as possible from the neighborhood itself, each dashi crew is trying to outdo the others in music, performance and style! Although the beauty of the girls representing Rokkencho might have ensured them the top spot this year, no one could help noticing the hunks manning the Yodahara (依田原) dashi! These guys spared nothing when it came to putting on a show! You can tell these guys are no weaklings – two of them have the telltale marks on their shoulders that come from carrying an omikoshi an hour through the streets (not something I think I could survive). I often think Japanese men don’t get the attention they deserve, cute girls tend to steal the show, but I challenge anyone to find a man that matches that almost Schwarzeneggarian smile on the young drummer? Girls – if you’re wondering where all the real men of Japan are hiding out – Shizuoka prefecture might be a good place to start looking!