The Kanaya Tea Festival is the more important for being held only every two years!
It is held on the second week end of April for two days, meaning that the ladies and girls of the whole town parade no less than 4 times during that time!

I arrived at Kanaya Station on Sunday and altough the parade is held a bit away from it you knew what was going on!

The welcoming committee!

Our bunch of 7 visitors, including 6 expats, was duly invited to pose with the welcoming party for the official photo album!

All ladies from the town participated to the whole festival!

As for the little ones, they did need some help!

A small dance party of cha musume was on show in front of the Station all day!

No less than three generations!

Participants, especially adults, were busy with preparations of the floats for the evening. Unfortunately Shizuoka City is quite a long way and I couldn’t stay at night… Probably for the best as I would have had to stay overnight with all that drinking going on! LOL

Busy, busy, busy!

Fixing the lanterns to light up the night!

Last practice!

Well, these hadn’t waited to practice drinking!

And those veterans definitely enjoyed the respite!

All under the watchful eyes of the organizers?

Cha Musume Pageant!

Alright, ladies! Get ready!

Let me help with those knots!

So cute!

Not the way the dancers were carrying their belongings!

Over 1,000 dancers all set!

during that time onlookers were busy feeding themselves! Takoyaki!

Okonomiyaki!

Tea leaves massage!!

Professional demonstration!

Dance step 1?

Dance step 2?

Dance step 3?

One little cha musume forgot to turn around!

Dance step 4?

Dance step 6?

Never too young to start!

In two years time these little girls will be veterans!

My favorite dancer of the day!

And I left to the sound of two strong lady drummers!

In two years time I’ll make sure to stay there all nigh!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City