Photo gallery: Koenji Awaodori

They took to the streets in their thousands – and that was just the dancers. While other major festivals in Tokyo were cancelled this year in the wake of March 11, the 55th Koenji Awaodori went ahead as planned, though organisers decided to hold it a few hours earlier than usual, presumably to keep in line with electricity conservation efforts. Maybe it was the timetable change, the inclement weather, or the fact that the Sumida River Fireworks were being held later in the evening, but the first day of the festival felt noticeably less crowded than usual. Not that this dimmed the energy of the massed dancers, drummers and musicians, who were probably grateful for the less-than-sweltering temperatures. Things got a whole lot busier – and sweatier – on the second day, as spectators clogged the streets to cheer on the increasingly bedraggled performers. And when it was all over, the benefits of the rescheduling became clear: there was even more time for drinking before the last train home.

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