Kobe Matsuri 2015 (part 1)

May 17th, Sunday -   After lunch, I felt like going to Sannomiya to window shop and burn all those calories from a sumptuous pasta, salad and sandwich lunch.  As I got off at JR Sannomiya station, I saw a group of elderly women in kimono costumes and wondered if they were part of a dance group or something.  Then I heard drum beats from somewhere and realized this day was the Kobe Festival Day.

I went down the stairs to the street and followed the throng of people going to the parade route.  Crowds of people were already gathering in many places and the streets where the parade would be passing were already lined with people.   I slowly weaved my way through the crowd to get to a good spot, preferably by the curb where I can get a good view and clear keitai-camera shots.  The parade has just started when I got there.

Kobe Matsuri (Japanese word for "festival")..has always been the highlight of the year for people living in Kobe city.  Since Kobe is an international city , many groups of  expats join the yearly parade.

Samba Dancers (Brazil and Puerto Rico)

The most-cheered and awaited among the parade participants are the Samba Dancers.  Mostly Japanese women and young girls who were  scantily clad in Samba costume and feathery headdresses dance their way along the route to the tune of Samba music and drum beats . Samba is an influence from the Brazilians and Puerto Ricans in Kobe.