Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 At a Japanese Summer Festival

   By Emi Tsuruta

   Note: this is one in a series of posts about my life.  If you'd like to
know more about my friends and me, drop by my home page at:
/~emitsuruta/

   On my trip home to Japan last summer, I got to do something I'd never
tried before: participate in a matsuri, a Shinto festival.  Of course I'd
been to festivals before, but this was the first time I ever got to join
in. It was another one of my boyfriend Ryosuke's ideas.  As usual, we
almost got in trouble, but anyway, it was fun, and I made a new friend, so
it was good that way.

   My family isn't very religious, and actually, I was kind of surprised
when Ryosuke asked me to go to this festival because I didn't think he was
either.  Apparently, his friend Taka, the motorcycle mechanic, goes every
year, and helps carry the omikoshi.  An omikoshi is this box on poles sort
of like a palanquin.  The kami, the good luck spirit of the shrine, is
invited into the omikoshi, and the omikoshi-bearers carry it to the
otabisho, a small offshoot shrine where there are dances or contests for
the kami's entertainment.  Then when the entertainment is over, the kami
goes back into the omikoshi, and everyone carries it back to the main
shrine.

   Because the omikoshi is so big and heavy usually it's the men who do
most of the carrying.  It takes a whole bunch of people to even lift it.  I
guess I'd seen a few women at these festivals dressed up in traditional
Japanese garb.  Sometimes, there are kids too.  I'd never really thought
about doing it, but anyway, I didn't mind trying.

   The next problem was what to wear.  You can't wear western clothes
especially if you're carrying the omikoshi.  Ryosuke told me he'd arranged
for a uniform for me.  I'd never been to this particular festival before,
so I wasn't sure exactly what they wore, but I guessed it would be a pair
of shorts and some kind of happi, sort of like a judo top, open in the
front with no buttons, just a thick cotton belt that ties around your
waist.

   The morning of the festival, I pulled on jeans and a t-shirt, and headed
out.  Suddenly I realized that it might be one of those festivals where all
the men wear fundoshi, loincloths sort of like sumo wrestlers wear.  Oh no!
That would be embarrassing.  The front is bad enough, but the back leaves
your butt cheeks exposed.  I should have brought a pair of shorts.  The
more I thought about it, the surer I became that this was Ryosuke's plan
all along.  He's always trying to get me to dress in these really skimpy
outfits.  He seems to get his jollies embarrassing me!

   Anyway, I met Ryosuke at the train station.  He seemed in a good mood,
glad I'd agreed to come.  From there, we went to Taka's place.  His
motorcycle shop was one of the sponsors of the festival.  Taka lived up on
the second floor above his shop.

   Taka is a big guy, bigger than Ryosuke, and when we arrived, he was
already in his outfit: happi, fundoshi and headband - just as I feared. 
Apparently, that's how they dress every year.  I was wondering if I could
back out, but then we heard Ryuu and Yuta, Taka's boy cousins, shouting
from the bath.  They'd come to help too.

   Taka handed me a fresh white happi and fundoshi, more feminine looking
than his own.  I didn't want to seem ungrateful, so I took them.  Taka told
me I could change in the bath once his cousins got out.  He went in to
hurry them up.

   It was hard not to stare at Taka.  You could see his whole rump.  I
guess sumo wrestlers dress like that too, but it is kind of shocking when
you see someone you know in a fundoshi.  I glared at Ryosuke, but he was
trying to act innocent.  I knew better though.  He'd clearly been planning
this for a while.

   Ryuu and Yuta came out of the bath.  Taka yelled at them to get ready,
and then gestured for me to use the bath.  There was a thin almost
see-through white curtain in the doorway.  I tried to pull it shut, but it
kind of fluttered open in the breeze.  I could still see the four of them
through the curtain.  Not wanting to change with them all watching, I
pulled off my socks, and opened the frosted glass door leading to the bath.
It was kind of weird to change in the shower, but at least I could get away
from Taka and them.  Once I'd slid the door shut, their voices sounded
muffled, so I felt a bit safer.

   Out the window, I could see the house across the way, and feel the cool
breeze blowing in on my face.  I took a few deep breaths, and stripped out
of my clothes intending to have a shower.  I folded my clothes, and set
them down outside the glass door, so they wouldn't get wet.  While I was
showering, Ryosuke came into the room next to the shower.

   "Sorry, sweetie.  I guess I should have told you.  It's not like it'll
be that weird or anything.  I've seen lots of women at the festivals
before."

   "Wearing a fundoshi?"

   "Well, I guess most of them wear shorts, but sometimes.  You'd be
surprised.  Just wait.  You'll see.  It won't be so bad." Ryosuke went back
out into the main room again closing the curtain behind him.  I finished my
shower, and then suddenly realized I hadn't brought a towel.  I opened the
glass door, and called out.

   "Um, could I borrow a towel?"

   "Sure," Taka yelled back.  I expected Ryosuke to bring it, but all of a
sudden, Taka came in, holding a towel.  The frosted glass separated us, but
he could see my naked body through the glass.  I reached out to grab the
towel, but he was so stunned to see me naked, he just stood there, gawking.
I almost called Ryosuke, but he might just make things worse.  Taka could
see me anyway, so I finally stuck my head out from behind the glass,
letting him see one breast and my bare hip.  He was still in a daze even
more so seeing me in the flesh.

   We heard a bang from the other room, and that woke Taka out of his
stupor.  He handed me the towel, and raised his hand in apology.  I
signaled that it was all right, but he continued to peer down at my naked
body.  I felt a bit excited myself.  Someone was rumbling around in the
other room, so Taka finally left.

   I don't know why I was getting so excited.  I don't really know Taka all
that well, just the stories I'd heard from Ryosuke.  He has this earthy
quality, a bit naive, and quite muscular.  I wiped my face, trying to calm
down, but my excitement lingered on.

   I eventually dried off, and grabbed the white happi jacket.  Sometimes
white material is kind of see-through, but this cotton was maybe thick
enough.  Still, there didn't seem to be any belt to go with it.  I had to
take the two corners at the front, and tie them across my tummy to get it
to stay on.  That left it wide open at the front.  You could see my
cleavage and most of my breasts.  I tried to pull the two sides together,
but even like that, you could tell I wasn't wearing a bra.

   The white fundoshi, almost like a bed sheet, was even harder to figure
out.  The main part of it was a wide belt made of a heavy material like
burlap.  I got that wrapped around my waist, and twisted it around till the
loincloth part was at the front, but I couldn't figure out how to do up the
strand that went between my legs.  I pulled it through, and tried to tie it
to the back of the belt, but it didn't seem long enough.  Finally, Ryosuke
called from the main room.

   "Are you ready, Emi?"

   "Um...  no.  Could you come here for a second?"

   Ryosuke came right in.

   "Wow!  You look great!" he beamed.

   I blushed, showing him my fanny.

   "I can't get this to tie up."

   He flashed me this toothy grin.

   "I swear you have the most delicious ass," he smiled, patting me.

   "I'm serious, Ryosuke.  I can't get it to do up."

   "Oh, I see.  You're missing the rope part." He turned to show me his. 
His skin on his bottom was so white.  The tan lines started way down his
thighs.  He pointed to this thick white ceremonial rope tied in a loop
around the back.  Mine didn't seem to have that part, so he went to look
for it, leaving the curtain open.  I went over, and pulled it shut, worried
that Taka or his cousins might see me.

   Ryosuke came back with the rope, and helped me tie it together.  He ran
his finger between my legs, tickling my yoohoo.  I swatted his hand.  He
pulled my belt way up, so the crotch was rubbing against my hello kitty.  I
tried to push it back down, but Ryosuke insisted that this was the way you
wear it.  I turned to examine my backside in the mirror, but the cross
piece had disappeared between my butt cheeks, making it look like I was
naked.

   "I don't know, Ryosuke..."

   "Here, let's ask Taka." He pulled open the curtain, and called him over.
"How does she look?"

   To hide my bare bottom at least, I turned to face them.  The flap of my
loincloth was wide enough that it almost covered my bush, but the bikini
part was so small I worried they might be able to see my pubic hair.  To
make things worse, the crotch was caught in my cooch, rubbing against my
hello kitty.  I felt so horny.

   "Where's the headband?" Taka asked more soberly.  I turned away to get
it, but when I turned back, he was staring down at my bare behind.  My face
was all hot.  I tied the headband on.  I tried to pretend like there was
nothing strange about my walking around with my ass showing like this, but
clearly it wasn't normal.  I don't know why I let Ryosuke talk me into
these things.

   Ryosuke was anxious to get going, so we packed up, and got ready to
leave.  I hadn't brought any zori (sandals with a split toe), so I just put
my sneakers back on.  I felt really self-conscious.  Once we were out on
the street, people kept turning to look at my bottom.  As if that weren't
bad enough, every once in a while, Ryosuke would come over, and pat me on
my behind reminding me of how naked I was.

   Eventually, we got to the shrine.  There were all kinds of people there,
mostly guys.  People were polite to my face, but as soon as I'd turn away,
they'd open their eyes wide, and whisper, astonished at how I was dressed.
There were some women there, but most of them were dressed more
conservatively in yukata or western clothes.

   Ryosuke found his dad and his younger brother, Keisuke.  I'd met his dad
once at Ryosuke's place, but I'd never met Keisuke before.  He looks a bit
like Ryosuke, except a couple years younger.  They both seemed surprised.
Hadn't Ryosuke told them I was coming?  Or maybe they were just shocked by
my outfit.  Even Ryosuke's dad got this lustful look in his eyes.

   I stood there for a bit, but I didn't feel comfortable with his dad
ogling my body, so I went looking for the other women.  I soon found
Ryosuke's mom, dressed in a nice summery yukata.  She was friendly.  She
offered to hold my cell phone and change purse for me, so I gave them to
her.  I wanted to talk more, but unfortunately, there were a bunch of other
people she had to say hi to, so she wandered off, and I was on my own
again.

   It was then that I noticed this other girl, dressed like I was in a
fundoshi, standing off near a group of guys.  She is really the cutest girl
you are ever likely to see.  She has big black eyes, a little puppy dog
nose and a natural smile with two buck teeth at the front like a bunny
rabbit.  She looked pretty embarrassed too.  I sidled up next to her, and
said,

   "Hi."

   She looked at me for a sec, a bit skittish, but then looked down at the
ground.

   "Quite the festival," I noted, trying to be friendly.  She nodded
gravely without replying.  Trying to hide I guess, she squatted down, so I
squatted down next to her.

   "Is this your first festival?" I asked.

   She shook her head no, still not talking.  I gestured toward the group
of guys.

   "Are those your friends?"

   She pointed towards the leader of the mikoshi-bearers.

   "That's my dad."

   "Oh," I said, finally understanding how she'd gotten roped into this.

   "Do you know Keisuke?" she asked suddenly.

   "Uh, yes," I answered, surprised.  "How do you...?"

   "He's in my class in college."

   "Oh wow!  What's he like?" I asked, curious.

   "I don't know.  He's smart I guess.  I don't really know him that well.
Where do you know him from?"

   "Um, I know his brother, Ryosuke."

   "Is Ryosuke your boyfriend?"

   I laughed.  Smart girl.

   "Yeah, he is. ...  My name's Emi."

   "Miori.  Nice to meet you," she blushed.

   "Yeah, you too."

   We continued to squat there, hiding away from all the peering eyes.

   "Um, I have a question," I finally went on.

   She looked at me curiously.

   "Is this done up right?" I asked showing her the knot at the back of my
fundoshi.  It felt like it was going to come loose.  She peered over at my
backside obviously a bit embarrassed.

   "I'm not sure.  My dad helped me."

   "Your dad?" I said, shocked a bit.  Miori stood up, and showed me hers.
Her friends immediately turned to look at us, fascinated.  Miori's ass was
quite soft looking like a juicy ripe peach.  Her father had tied her belt
quite high, so it looked like she was naked from the waist down.  Ryosuke
caught sight of me, and came over.

   "Who's this?"

   "This is Miori.  She's the daughter of the leader."

   "No kidding.  Old man Tanaka's daughter.  He runs that kimono shop in
Naka-okachimachi, doesn't he?"

   Miori nodded shyly.  Despite her skittishness, there was a fire burning
in her eyes.  I guess it was just embarrassment from having to dress like
this, but I wondered if she was as turned on by all this as I was.  Soon
her dad called us to gather around.

   "See you later?" I said to Miori, as Ryosuke dragged me off to Taka and
them.

   Before we volunteers could carry the mikoshi, we had to be purified. 
The shrine attendants came out with hoses, and they asked us to stay still
while they sprayed us.  In the hot weather, the water was refreshing, but
one guy kept pointing the stream at my chest, blowing the sides of my happi
apart.  I tried to pull them back together, but the wet cotton was sticking
to my skin, so you could see my breasts, nipples, everything.  I tried to
smile, and pretend like it was no big deal, but all the guys around me
seemed pretty happy to see me naked.  It was hard not to get excited.

   Once they were done spraying, I tried to shake out the water, but you
could still see my headlights clear as day.  The other mikoshi-bearers were
trying not to stare, but the spectators made no bones about ogling me.  I
felt so embarrassed.

   Next, Mr.  Tanaka showed us how to pick up the mikoshi, and carry it on
our shoulders.  I got in line behind Taka in front of Ryosuke hoping they
could protect me.  I actually wanted to get changed, cover up, but my
clothes were all back at Taka's place.

   Anyway, soon the procession headed out.  Once we got going, it was
obvious that they didn't need my help carrying the mikoshi, so I went, and
found Miori.  Miori wasn't as wet as I was, so she still had some semblance
of modesty, but even so, she seemed pretty embarrassed.  I was so near
naked I'd almost given up on trying to cover up.  I did my best to ignore
the looks of amazement, but some guys were trying to push through the
crowd, to get a better look at me.

   Once we turned on to the main street, there were even more people.  Some
guys had their cameras out, and were taking pictures.  I tried not to let
them snap my face, but everywhere I turned, there seemed to be someone.  It
was impossible to hide completely.

   Eventually, we made it to the otabisho.  I felt thirsty, so Miori and I
went to find a convenience store.  Three university age guys started
following us though, and came into the shop after us.

   "Hey there, pretty ladies.  Buy you a drink?" one offered.  He looked
harmless enough, but we weren't really dressed for meeting new people.

   "You're so hot!" another exclaimed.  We quickly bought drinks, and tried
to get away from them.  The guys kept following us though, clearly quite
excited by our near naked bodies.  Eventually, we made it back to where
Ryosuke and Taka were, and these other guys kept their distance.

   Ryosuke clearly appreciated my getting dressed up this way, but
actually, both he and Taka seemed quite taken with Miori as well.  She was
careful not to flirt with anyone, but they kept stealing glances at her
bare behind.  She does have quite a sexy body.

   Eventually, the entertainment ended, and Mr.  Tanaka signaled for us to
get the mikoshi.  Just then, I noticed that my fundoshi was coming undone.
I pulled Miori off to the side, and showed her.

   "Where's your rope?" she asked.

   "I don't know.  Did it fall off?" I gasped panicking.  I tried to hold
the remaining parts together, while Miori looked for my rope.  We finally
spotted it on the ground over towards where the university boys were
standing.  They spotted it too.  I was so worried they might grab it that I
lost my grip on the crotch part of my fundoshi.  They got so excited to see
me bare-assed though that they forgot about the rope.  Miori scooted over,
and grabbed it, and then we ran off to find a place that wasn't so out in
the open.

   We nipped into this courtyard.  Miori eventually managed to pull the
crotch part back up, and tie it, but she lifted the belt way up, the same
as her own.  It was rubbing against my hello kitty again, getting me all
excited.  I fooled with it a bit, but I didn't want it to come undone, so I
ended up leaving it like that.

   "How's yours?" I asked.  She showed me.  She does have quite a cute ass.
The fundoshi was maybe a bit loose, but we didn't want to wreck the job her
dad had done, so we let it be.  When we came back out, the procession had
moved on, so we had to run to catch up.  The university boys spotted us,
but we eventually found Ryosuke.  He made space for us to join.  He grinned
at the sight of Miori's behind, but I swatted him.

   The procession slowly turned into this busy intersection.  I thought
we'd given the nampa boys the slip, but the procession got stuck, and they
found us.  Trying to fix my happi now, I undid the knot.  I didn't really
mean to, but I think some people might have seen my breasts.  Ryosuke
winked at me, thinking I was doing it on purpose.  I tied it back up, as
quick as I could.

   Eventually, the procession started moving again.  I couldn't see our
pursuers, so I came out from under the omikoshi, looking for them. 
Luckily, I think we lost them in the crowd.

   The drumming picked up, as the crowd cheered us on.  Some of the guys
carrying the mikoshi had taken off their happi, and were dancing
practically naked.  This one guy came up to me, and beat his chest.  I
giggled nervously, but soon he ran off somewhere else.

   When we finally got back to the shrine, Miori invited Ryosuke and me to
come inside for something to eat.  I got my things from Ryosuke's mom, and
stuffed them down the front of my happi.  Keisuke left early, but Miori was
off changing so she missed saying goodbye.  I wanted to change too, but my
clothes were still back at Taka's.

   We went into the shrine.  A lot of the mikoshi-bearers had changed into
their street clothes.  I was one of the few who were still half naked. 
Some guys who passed 'accidentally' brushed up against my bare bottom. 
Miori came back in a formal skirt and blouse, so I looked even more out of
place.  She had to go, but we exchanged contact info, and agreed to stay in
touch.

   Ryosuke and I had some yakitori and bacon asparagus, but I didn't really
feel comfortable sitting here almost naked.  We tried to find Taka, but
apparently he was driving his cousins home.  Ryosuke could tell I was
uncomfortable, so he took me out back to the garden away from all the
people.

   The garden was quite beautiful.  There was a pond with a bridge over it
and a stone path around the edge lit by lanterns.  We walked down to the
far end, away from the hubbub of the party, and stood in the shade of the
trees, looking up at the stars.  It was a lovely warm night out.

   "So how'd you like it?" Ryosuke asked.

   "Um, it was OK," I shrugged.

   "You seem to have survived."

   I looked down at my fundoshi, and laughed nervously, still a bit
embarrassed.

   "How did my knot work out?" he asked.

   "It came undone," I grimaced, showing him.  He kneeled down, ostensibly
to fix it, but started undoing it instead.

   "Hey!" I objected.  He just told me to shush, and pulled the knot
undone. "Ryosuke!"

   Across the garden, I could still see all these people sitting on the
tatami eating in the main building.  We were kind of hidden in the shade of
the trees, but there were lanterns here and there lighting up the dark.  I
covered my bush with my hand, really nervous, but Ryosuke pulled it aside
making me show him.  He reached up, and squeezed my tits, so I knelt down
trying to hide.

   "Hey!  Cut that out.  They're right there."

   I think Ryosuke's parents and brother had gone home, but Mr.  Tanaka was
still here with his wife and a bunch of the mikoshi-bearers.

   "They can't see us," he insisted.  It was true that people weren't
really looking over this way, but they weren't that far away.  I looked
down trying to get my fundoshi back, but instead, he pulled his own
fundoshi down showing me his erect penis.  Clearly, this was getting him
plenty excited.

   I thought the best way to calm him was to get him off as quickly as
possible.  I motioned for him to stand back up, and then took his penis in
my hands, gently tugging on it in rhythm to the drums.  He did look like he
might come.  I was so embarrassed, kneeling here naked, but I teased his
prick with my tongue, while trying to hide what we were doing from the
people back in the temple.  I wrapped my lips around his member, sliding up
and down the length of it, getting him all wet with my saliva.  This is not
as easy as it looks.  You have to be careful not to choke, but luckily, he
was so excited he came pretty easily.  Just as he was about to blow, I
pulled away, but he ended up spewing cum on my face.

   I was still excited myself, but glad that I'd got him off anyway.  I
washed my face and my hands with water from the pond.  I scrambled to pull
on my fundoshi before someone came out.  I was shaking so it was hard to
get it wrapped the right way.  Ryosuke did up his own fundoshi, and then
came to help with mine.  He looked grateful for my efforts, although we
both were kind of worried about getting caught.

   Just as I was getting straightened up, Taka came out, and found us.  I'm
sure he must have suspected.  It was so lucky we didn't get caught.

   Taka drove us back to his place.  I had a shower, and tried to settle
back down, but to tell you the truth, I kind of wanted to go somewhere, and
do it for real.  Maybe next time.

   Emi Tsuruta
/~emitsuruta/