Dance Dance Revolution

Stumbled upon this Awa Dance Festival (Awa Odori) in Hatagaya on Saturday afternoon. Whenever I see this kind of stuff in Japan, I get excited. It reminds me of the fire festival scene in Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress." The characters in that film are smuggling gold and try to use the festival as a cover; instead they get caught up in the frenzy of the dance. Later, when the princess is facing her death, she recalls how alive the dance made her feel and sings the festival song. Dancing festivals back in the Sengoku and Tokugawa period were a lot more anarchic (and possibly more fun), but since we're here in the 21st century, I'll have to settle for this or the movies.