Signs and Shrines

~Just one more day until the festival begins! Tomorrow is the parade down the main street of Nagaoka, where I'll be dancing the "Nagaoka Jinku" (Samurai Dance) and the "Nagaoka Hanabi" (Fireworks Dance, which you might remember). The parade is centered around a portable shrine, which is currently in the Civics Center. Here's what it looks like:

^ The portable shrine is designed to be carried on the shoulders by several people. I have no idea how heavy it is, but it looks very delicate to me. Can you see the multiple torii gates on shrine? This object is a miniature shinto shrine, just like the ones that are all over Nagaoka and Japan.

^From the front. I think it's refreshing that the Japanese allow everyone to openly view their religious items. Although the shape of the portable shrine does remind me of a certain dangerous box.

Here's a closeup of the top of the portable shrine:

^ I think this bird is a phoenix, the symbol of the fireworks show (and the fireworks grand finale, the Phoenix Firework). I like how the bird's head is the only color that's not gold or red on the entire shrine.

To cool off from the hot, humid weather here in Japan, I went back to Yukuzan Park for a swim in the public pools there:

^The admission was only 400 yen (about $3.50), and this gave me access to four pools, including three outdoor pools of varying depths and a heated indoor pool. Do you see the huge four-level diving platform on the right? Yesterday, there was a swimming tournament here, and they monopolized the pool. This may sound familiar to anyone who uses the Wyndfall-Cambridge Pool (or whatever they're calling it now) in North Carolina.

^ An interesting sculpture near the pool entrance. I think it's a woman doing a backstroke. Or maybe someone just shoved her over a cliff.

The pool area had many safety signs, several of which I found unusual, to say the least:

^ This chart shows the depths of the main pool; unlike most pools in America, pools in Japan are deeper in the center and less deep at both ends. Note the guy in the middle who is drowning. Game over, man!

^ This sign shows the proper procedure to go in the pool. First, rinse yourself off on the outdoor shower. Then, enjoy yourself in a tiny pool while you grin insanely. This will give you strength-enhancing superpowers when you leave the pool. The red katakana reads, "Coin Locker", which is where you put your belongings.

The parade is tomorrow, so I need to get some rest. ~Oyasumi!