Float

Here are the dads holding the float. When they stop at each house, they throw it up in the air several times and chant something simultaneously. The towels around their necks are called tenugui. (I love tenugui!) These are simple cotton cloths that are used for everything from wiping hands (restaurants and public restrooms here generally don't have napkins or towels) to decorating (when designed with special patterns). In larger festivals there are many different colors and each color represents a person's level or responsibilities in the celebration. They are usually tied around a person's head like a head band. A blue striped tenugui means that person is a safety official, a solid red tenugui means they are a high-ranking member, etc.