It was Sort of Like a City Folks Hoedown

Not Just Women Dancing with Horses

 

 

There were a dozen or so, gals in kimonos, dancing with wooden, hobby horse looking things.

Back in the good old days, I bet they were riding real horses.

Equines are probably forbidden now, at the Juri-uma Parade because it's within the city limits.

But, they had other gals, doing folk dances, that any country boy would enjoy.

 Some of them came out on the stage hootin' and hollerin' barefooted.

 They were smiling, stomping their feet and, swinging those blades.

Just when you think, it can't get no better than this, it does.

The gal in charge of those with sickles and sticks, got them all off the stage.

And here's where the real hoedown stuff begins.

These girls were barefoot, smiling and dancing, too.

But, they were swinging some pretty authentic looking hoes.

Tell me, that don't remind you of a good old country hoedown !

Have You Ever Heard of the Parade of the Prostitutes ?

'Scuse My French But I Ain't Making This Up

 

Not to worry, ladies.  No women were harmed in this celebration.

The photos were taken, yesterday in Naha, Okinawa, Japan at a reenactment of ancient history.

Credit must be given to Okinawa2Go! Project on Facebook for some of my text, today.

They reminded me that the Juri-uma Parade was February 19th this year.

That would be, the 20th of January, by the Chinese calendar.

The event took place in the Tsuji district of Naha City.

Allegedly, this was an area of brothels, back in the old days.

There were no real live hookers on the streets while I was there. I kept checking for you.

As the story goes, girls who were sold to be courtesans, were called "Juri."

Uma, means horse.  So, I guess you could call it the Hookers Horse Parade.

Back in the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom these girls only got to see their family once a year.

That was during the Juri-uma Parade.

So, it was a pretty important celebration.

How any person could sell their daughter, beats the devil out of me.

But, if I was a girl, I would worry about it.

Didn't somebody, once say, "History repeats itself"  ?

Read more about this event at the Ryukyu Shimpo

And, here's an old video of the festivities, from way back when: