Everyone in Okayama knows about the Uraja festival that takes place each summer, but I’m always surprised by the unexcited response I get when I ask people about it. Many NEO students and other friends tell me they’ve never even seen the festival, or they dismiss it as boring or too hot.

While it’s true that the heat is a problem, I think Uraja is an event that can be fun for anyone. In fact, for the past few months, I’ve been following a dance team known as Waon (環温) and working on a photo project related to the festival. I’m interested in how dancers practice and prepare for Uraja, and how they operate as a group. It’s been an enlightening experience.

For one thing, I learned that there are a lot of differences between the dance teams, which range in size from a handful of people to large groups of 80-90 dancers. The atmosphere within each team can be wildly different, with some being more precise and focused on winning a prize, and others encouraging a fun, more communal spirit. Prospective dancers can find a team that suits their level of interest.

A lot of thought goes into the performance and appearance of dancers. Hand gestures are very important, as is the make-up and costume design. This year, for instance, Waon’s dance features two “characters” from the legend of Ura – the king and the ogre. Half of the dancers wear a white happi, and the other half have a red one. Halfway through the dance, the performers turn their happi inside out to make them a matching purple color. This symbolizes the nature of Ura: he was a benevolent king to some people, and a monstrous ogre to others. Those two roles were filled by one person.

It's small details like this that make Uraja a unique, worthwhile experience. Of course, it’s also just a fun festival for the whole family, complete with food stalls and face painting. If you’ve never seen the incredible dancers of Uraja, give it a try next summer!