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"Kaze no Kamisan Kaze Okure" : (May God of Wind blow) It's 10 o'clock : I say into the mike a few japanese words that I have rehearsed with Masumi Honda-san, my teacher of japanese language ;-)). The Yokaïchi Kite Festival begins. |
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Akira Nakamura-san is the chief of the Yokaïchi Oodako kite team. By means of its loudspeaker, he manages and synchronizes the assembly of the Oodako, then the close takeoff procedure and the flight. Before, he had forewarmed the public about the dangers to get near the big kite : "If the Oodako descends on you, fall flat on the ground !". At the first flight, the Oodako will run over one member of team. |
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The bridling is unwinded in the middle of a large troop of journalistes.This bridling looks like the european "edo" kite : it centres on the 1/5 of the height. The 50 bridles are about 50 meters long. |
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The bending is completed. The crowd gathers along the cord , nearer, nearer more. We are in the bed of the river : it will be difficult to run so as to pull the cord or ... to escape from the Oodako. |
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Kiyoshi Onishi-san is the respected veterant of the Yokaïchi Oodako team. He have the secret of bridling the Oodako : there is no flying test, no training. This new Oodako has never flight, but it will flight thanks to its optimal bridling. By means of his drum, Kiyoshi Onishi-san will give the signal to pull the cord for the pulling team, then he will speed up the rhythm to accompagny the running of the pulling team. |
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They await, preferably in the shade. The wind is very light : 0,5 to 1 Beaufort strength, varying direction. The sun is already very warm. |
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The wind changed in direction : the team is carrying the 700 kilos of the Oodako. |
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Here
is the clothes of a Yokaïchi Oodako kiteman : |
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A tiny bit of wind. The close take-off procedure is in progress : 700 kg, 13m height, 12 m width, 100 tatamis of area ( 1 tatami measures 90cm x 60cm). |
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Here is the takeoff. The flight will last for 2 minutes. It's 15:30, this is the end of the Yokaïchi Festival. |