Home > SAITAMA 埼玉県 > Koshigaya 越谷市 > Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori Dance 南越谷阿波踊り

mk190-MinamiKoshigayaAwaOdori.youtube
My YouTube video of the 2023 Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori dance festival.
mk200-20090822_3585.jpg
The 25th Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori was held during Aug. 21-23, 2009. I saw it on the 22nd. The 21st was the festival eve when they had dance performances in the community center. The festival's main days were the 22nd and 23rd.
mk201-20090822_3588.jpg
The Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori is held annually near Shin-Koshigaya Station (Tobu ISezaki, Hanzomon, and Hibiya Lines) and JR Minami-Koshigaya Station (Musashino Line). These two train stations almost intersect.
mk202-20090822_3589.jpg
Map of the festival venues. There are no less than seven venues where you can watch Awa Odori dances by 66 dance troupes. One venue is indoors at the Koshigaya Community Center.
mk203-20090822_4118.jpg
Koshigaya Community Center.
mk204-20090822_3593.jpg
On both the 22nd and 23rd, they held Awa Odori performances inside the Koshigaya Community Center. Part 1 was held during 2 pm to 4:30 pm, and Part 2 during 5:30 pm to 8:45 pm.
mk205-20090822_3592.jpg
I watched the indoor performance inside the Koshigaya Community Center on Aug. 22, 2009 from 2 pm to 4:30 pm.
mk206-20090822_3601.jpg
At first I thought that Awa Odori was meant to be performed outdoors, and it wouldn't be the same watching it in a large hall.
mk207-20090822_3609.jpg
But it was nice to watch it on stage in a large hall as well. Although I still prefer seeing Awa Odori outdoors where you can see it in a continuous procession.
mk208-20090822_3651.jpg
During the 2.5-hour performance, numerous Awa Odori dance troupes performed colorfully to live music.
mk209-20090822_3677.jpg
MInami-Koshigaya Awa Odori Dance, indoor performance. 南越谷阿波踊り
mk210-20090822_3687.jpg
Anybody could take pictures, but flash was not allowed.
mk211-20090822_3702.jpg
mk212-20090822_3715.jpg
mk213-20090822_3764.jpg
mk214-20090822_3827.jpg
mk215-20090822_3834.jpg
mk216-20090822_3856.jpg
mk217-20090822_3853.jpg
Shadow dancing
mk218-20090822_3870.jpg
mk219-20090822_3873.jpg
mk220-20090822_3898.jpg
mk221-20090822_3910.jpg
mk222-20090822_3942.jpg
mk223-20090822_3963.jpg
mk224-20090822_3991.jpg
Toward the end, they had a special joint group of dancers from all the Koshigaya Awa Odori troupes performing together on stage.
mk225-20090822_3994.jpg
So you can see that they are wearing different costumes.
mk226-20090822_3997.jpg
mk227-20090822_4006.jpg
mk228-20090822_4009.jpg
mk229-20090822_4011.jpg
mk230-20090822_4019.jpg
mk231-20090822_4024.jpg
mk232-20090822_4026.jpg
mk233-20090822_4030.jpg
This joint session of Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori dance troupes was the best performance of all, I thought.
mk234-20090822_4035.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
mk235-20090822_4049.jpg
mk236-20090822_4061.jpg
mk237-20090822_4063.jpg
mk238-20090822_4070.jpg
mk239-20090822_4076.jpg
mk240-20090822_4077.jpg
The final performance was by a troupe from Tokushima.
mk241-20090822_4080.jpg
mk242-20090822_4088.jpg
Niji (Rainbow) was the name of the troupe.
mk243-20090822_4108.jpg
mk244-20090822_4115.jpg
The hall is emptied as people waiting to see Part 2 were waiting outside.
mk245-20090822_4116.jpg
Next to the community center was this small outdoor stage.
mk246-20090822_4119.jpg
mk247-20090822_4120.jpg
This is the Minami-Koshigaya Chuo-dori road venue. This is the main and most crowded venue. It's not that long though.
mk248-20090822_4126.jpg
At 5:10 pm, the Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori started at all the main venues outdoors.
mk249-20090822_4123.jpg
mk250-20090822_4129.jpg
A major problem with the Minami-Koshigaya Chuo-dori road was that they had 5 or 6 press photographers who kept getting in the way. 報道陣がとても邪魔、迷惑。5〜6人の報道人は多すぎるぞ。
mk251-20090822_4134.jpg
mk252-20090822_4143.jpg
The press photographers were such a problem at Minami-Koshigaya Chuo-dori road that I left after 10 min.
mk253-20090822_4148.jpg
Next to Minami-Koshigaya Chuo-dori road and in front of the train station was this outdoor stage called ekimae Kumi-odori Kaijo. 駅前組踊り会場
mk254-20090822_4152.jpg
It was just a small stage with seats for the audience.
mk255-20090822_4153.jpg
mk256-20090822_4156.jpg
The scene in front of the train station. The outdoor stage in the forefront, and the Minami-Koshigaya Chuo-dori road on the upper right.
mk257-20090822_4164.jpg
Minami-Koshigaya Chuo-dori road's starting point.
mk258-20090822_4189.jpg
Donations for the festival.
mk259-20090822_4188.jpg
On the opposite side of the train station on the west side (nishi-guchi) is the other main venue called the Nishiguchi Ekimae-dori. This was less crowded, and fewer photographers.
mk260-20090822_4192.jpg
Nishiguchi Ekimae-dori, starting point for the dancers.
mk261-20090822_4195.jpg
Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori on Nishiguchi Ekimae-dori. This road was also quite short, only a few hundred meters.
mk262-20090822_4197.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
mk263-20090822_4208.jpg
mk264-20090822_4202.jpg
mk265-20090822_4209.jpg
mk266-20090822_4213.jpg
mk267-20090822_4214.jpg
mk268-20090822_4215.jpg
Less crowded than the other side.
mk269-20090822_4216.jpg
mk270-20090822_4226.jpg
mk271-20090822_4256.jpg
Grou[ photo of Aoishin-ren, one of the best Awa Odori troupes in the world. More photos of them later. 葵新連
mk272-20090822_4257.jpg
I was curious to see all the dance venues. A short walk away was this Nishiguchi Minami-dori road. It was smaller and less crowded.
mk273-20090822_4259.jpg
Nishiguchi Minami-dori
mk274-20090822_4237.jpg
I liked this road because we could take front and center photos of the dancers.
mk275-20090822_4248.jpg
mk276-20090822_4264.jpg
mk277-20090822_4276.jpg
Minami-Koshigaya Awa Odori, Saitama Prefecture.
mk278-20090822_4290.jpg
mk279-20090822_4299.jpg
mk280-20090822_4310.jpg
Foinally, I moved to another venue across the road called Higashiguchi Minami-dori road.
mk281-20090822_4308.jpg
The problem with this place were all these poles on the sides. Bad for picture-taking unless you are sitting on the front row. The lights also turned out very yellow, and my camera could not color balance it well.
mk282-20090822_4349.jpg
This venue was very loose, no press photographers, and the kids wander about as they pleased.
mk283-20090822_4315.jpg
mk284-20090822_4326.jpg
mk285-20090822_4328.jpg
mk286-20090822_4329.jpg
mk287-20090822_4339.jpg
mk288-20090822_4337.jpg
mk289-20090822_4341.jpg
mk290-20090822_4343.jpg
mk291-20090822_4344.jpg
mk292-20090822_4352.jpg
mk293-20090822_4355.jpg
mk294-20090822_4356.jpg
mk295-20090822_4360.jpg
mk296-20090822_4363.jpg
mk297-20090822_4373.jpg
mk298-20090822_4382.jpg
mk299-20090822_4383.jpg
mk300-20090822_4391.jpg
mk301-20090822_4394.jpg
mk302-20090822_4397.jpg
mk303-20090822_4400.jpg
mk304-20090822_4414.jpg
mk305-20090822_4417.jpg
mk306-20090822_4418.jpg
mk307-20090822_4420.jpg
mk308-20090822_4428.jpg
Aoishin-ren, what I was waiting for. They are one of the best Awa Odori troupes in the world.
mk309-20090822_4432.jpg
Everyone in this group have glowing faces, very vivacious.
mk310-20090822_4437.jpg
mk311-20090822_4438.jpg
Their dancing and music are so good.
mk312-20090822_4439.jpg
I love watching them. I got them on video as well.
mk313-20090822_4440.jpg
mk314-20090822_4443.jpg
They are so good. Obviously, very well-trained and they must have practiced a lot.
mk315-20090822_4446.jpg
Aoishin-ren is based in Koenji, Tokyo, and one of the leading troupes during the Koenji Awa Odori.
mk316-20090822_4448.jpg
Aoi means hollyhock.
mk317-20090822_4452.jpg
mk318-20090822_4456.jpg
Aoishin-ren musicians.
mk319-20090822_4459.jpg
Also see my Aoishin-ren YouTube video here.
mk320-20090822_4460.jpg
For the finale, they had a joint parade of dancers from various troupes.
mk321-20090822_4466.jpg
mk322-20090822_4469.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
mk323-20090822_4464.jpg
mk324-20090822_4472.jpg
   
126 files on 1 page(s)