Japan! April 14 Part 3 - Walking through Old Town Takayama

After we arrived in Takayama, Aunt Kanchan and I took a stroll through Old Town Takayama, mainly to see the various festival floats which were on display in their storage houses. Each of the floats, or yatai, is unique in its woodwork, carvings, and decor. Some of the yatai can be dated back to the 17th century! It was amazing to see their intricate detail up close, and each yatai had a Japanese and English description accompanying it. My aunt knew I wanted to get as many memorable photos as possible and did not hesitate to ask people to pose with me, including a shy young man, shrine elders, and a town representative who was wearing a hand-painted dragon yukata. We also walked through the town carnival, I was struck by the fluorescent colored chocolate bananas that all the kids seemed to be eating!  Many tourists as well as townspeople were enjoying Takayama that day.