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:
http://www.asstr.org/~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 play
real part.  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 really wear western
clothes especially if you're carrying the omikoshi.  Ryosuke told me he'd
already got a uniform for me from the shrine.  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 it struck me 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, and 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 all dress every year.  I looked at Ryosuke, but
he just shrugged.  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 happi and fundoshi, a bit smaller and 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
like 'what?' I knew better though.  He'd clearly been planning this for a
while.

   I was about to say something when Ryuu and Yuta came charging out of the
bath...  in their bare scuddies!  They must have been maybe eleven or
twelve, but I was even more shocked.  My host mom's kids in California,
Brandon or Jennifer, never run around naked.  I covered my mouth, and just
stared at them, but they didn't seem embarrassed at all.

   Taka yelled at them to get dressed, 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 their curious eyes.  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
his eyes darted down to my pussy.  I held out a hand for the towel, but he
was so fascinated by my body he was just standing there, gawking.  I
grabbed for the towel, but I couldn't quite reach.  I don't think he was
trying to keep the towel from me.  It's just that he was so stunned to see
me naked.  From the sounds of it, he hadn't had many women here before.

   I thought of calling Ryosuke, but he might just make things worse.  I
knew Taka could see me through the glass.  It hardly seemed to matter now,
so I finally moved out from behind it, letting him see one breast and my
bare hip.  He furrowed his brow, wondering if I was deliberately teasing
him.  I wasn't though.  I was just trying to get the towel.

   We heard a bang from the other room, and that work Taka out of his
stupor.  He handed me the towel, and gestured an apology.  I signaled that
it was all right, and motioned for him to leave, but he stayed in the
doorway, trying to get a better look at my body.  I used the towel to wipe
the water out of my eyes, but I kind of dallied there, letting him watch,
feeling a bit excited myself.  We stood like that for as long as we dared,
but Ryosuke or someone was rumbling around in the other room, so Taka got
nervous, and left.

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

   I eventually dried off, and grabbed the happi jacket.  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 fundoshi was even harder to figure out.  The main part of it was a
wide white 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 over.

   "Wow!  You look great!" he beamed.

   I just blushed at him, holding the back strand in place with my hand.

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

   He motioned for me to turn around, and show him.  As soon as I did, he
flashed me this huge toothy grin.

   "I swear you have the cutest ass."

   "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, and the tan lines started way down his
thighs.  He pointed to this thick white ceremonial rope tied in a loop
around the back.  I 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 peek in, and see me.

   Ryosuke came back with the rope, and helped me tie it together.  He ran
his finger along the material between my legs, tickling my yoohoo.  I
swatted his hand.  He pulled my belt way up, so the crotch was rubbing
against my kitty.  I tried to push it back down, but Ryosuke insisted that
this was the way you wear it.  I turned around 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 what lay beneath, but the
bikini part was so small I worried they might be able to see my pussy hair.
To make things worse, the crotch was caught in my cooch, rubbing against my
hello kitty.  I felt so horny it wasn't even funny.

   "Where's the headband?" Taka asked more soberly.  I turned away to get
it, but when I turned back, they were all staring at my bare behind.  My
face was all hot.  I tied the headband on, and tried to pretend like there
was nothing strange about my walking around half naked like this.

   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 with my bottom out for
all to see.  Once we were on the street, I felt even more embarrassed. 
People kept turning to look at me.  I kept checking to make sure the
fundoshi was still tied.  Every once in a while, Ryosuke would come over,
and pat me on the behind just to remind me of how naked I was.

   Eventually, we got to the shrine.  There were all kinds of people there,
mostly guys also dressed in fundoshi.  The other volunteers were polite,
but as soon as I looked away, I'd catch them staring.  I saw a few girls.
Most of them were quite young, but one looked to be around high school age.
Most of the women were dressed more conservatively.

   Ryosuke soon found his dad and his younger brother, Keisuke.  I think
I'd seen 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
bowed, a bit surprised maybe to see me here.  Hadn't Ryosuke told them I
was coming?  Or maybe they were just surprised by my outfit.  I was like
the only adult woman there in a fundoshi.

   I stood there for a bit, while they chatted, but I didn't feel
comfortable with all the staring, so I went looking for other women.  I
soon found Ryosuke's mom, dressed in a nice summery yukata.  She was
friendly.  She knew me from the time I'd visited Ryosuke's house.  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 whole bunch of
other people she had to say hi to, so she got called off, and I was on my
own again.

   It was then that I noticed this other girl, dressed like I was, standing
off near a group of guys.  She looked pretty embarrassed too, but was
trying to make the best of it.  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 corralled into
this.

   "Do you know Keisuke?" she asked suddenly.

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

   "He's in my class at school."

   "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, a little oasis of quiet in the bustling
activity.

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

   She looked at me curiously.

   "Is this done up right?" I asked showing her my fundoshi.  It felt like
it was going to come loose, so I was wondering if Ryosuke had messed it up
somehow.  She peered down 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 young friends started staring over at us, somewhat lustfully.  Miori's
ass was quite soft and round and juicy like a ripe peach.  Her father had
tied her belt quite high, so it looked like she was naked under her happi.
Ryosuke noticed us talking, 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 lowered her head, but peered at him shyly.  She had a very intense
gaze.  She looked even more nervous with Ryosuke here.  She never answered,
but soon her dad called us to gather around, so he could explain what we
were to do.

   "See you later?" I said to Miori, before rejoining my group.

   Before we volunteers could carry the mikoshi, we all had to be purified.
Some of the shrine attendants came out with hoses, and they asked us to
stay still while they sprayed us.  It was hot out, so the water wasn't so
bad, but I was having a horrible time keeping my breasts covered.  All
these guys were staring at me, clearly quite excited.  I pulled the two
sides of my happi together, but the white material was sticking to my skin,
so you could see my breasts, nipples, everything.  I looked to Ryosuke for
help, but he just grinned.

   Once we were all purified, Mr.  Tanaka showed us how to pick up the
mikoshi, and carry it on our shoulders.  Taka was in front of me and
Ryosuke behind.  They did most of the lifting.  I wanted to do something
about my indecent outfit, but I didn't know what.  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, so I went, and found Miori.  Miori
wasn't as wet as I was, so she still had some semblance of modesty.  I was
so exposed I'd almost given up trying by that point.  Everyone kept
staring.

   Once we turned on to the main street, there were even more people,
spectators there to cheer us on.  I fiddled with my happi, trying to do
something, but guys would break out into these wide grins whenever they saw
me.  Some guys even had their cameras out, and were taking pictures.  I
tried not to let them snap my face, but 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.  These three university age guys were
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 Miori clearly didn't want to talk to them.

   "You look amazing!" another drawled.  We quickly bought drinks, and
tried to get away from them.  The guys kept following us though, clearly
quite excited by our state of undress.  Eventually, we made it back to
where Ryosuke and Taka were, and these other guys kept their distance.

   The entertainment ended, and Mr.  Tanaka signaled for us to get the
mikoshi.  My fundoshi though was coming unraveled.  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.  She held it in
place, while we looked for a place that wasn't so out in the open.  We
found a courtyard, and went in.  She found my rope.  It had come undone,
and gotten tangled up around the waistband.  She tried to straighten it,
but there were so many people going by outside.

   She eventually managed to do it back up, but the belt was too high,
making the crotch part rub against my pussy again.  I felt all tingly down
there, out of sorts, horny, I guess.  I fooled with the rope, but I didn't
want to lose it, so I ended up leaving it.

   "How's yours?" I asked, worried.  She showed me.  It was maybe a bit
loose, but we didn't want to wreck the job her dad had done, so I let it
be. When we came back out, Ryosuke and them were way off ahead, so we had
to run to catch up.  The boys from earlier spotted us, but kept on running
till we caught up to Ryosuke.  He made space for us to join.  He grinned
when he saw Miori's behind, but I swatted him.

   The procession slowly turned into this busy intersection.  I thought
we'd given the paparazzi boys the slip, but the procession got stuck, and
they found us.  Trying to fix my happi now, I undid the knot.  I wasn't
doing a good job of hiding my breasts though, and I think they even got a
picture of me braless.  I was so nervous, but I finally managed to get it
tied up again.  I glanced back at Ryosuke, but he just rolled his eyes,
thinking I was teasing him on purpose.

   Eventually, the procession started moving again.  I couldn't see the
paparazzi, so I came out from under the omikoshi, looking for them. 
Luckily, I think they got lost 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 shouting and
dancing practically naked.  This one guy came up to me, and beat his chest.
I gasped, 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 them had changed into their street
clothes.  I was one of the few who was still half naked.  The guys kept
checking me out, 'accidentally' brushing up against my 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 there with all of them staring.  We tried to find
Taka, but apparently he was driving his cousins home.  Ryosuke led me out
back to show me the garden.

   It 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.

   "Umm, yeah.  Interesting."

   "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
trying to fix it, but I could feel it unraveling.

   "Hey!" I called out.  Before I could stop him, he'd pulled my fundoshi
clear off.  "Ryosuke!"

   Some of the people back in the main building glanced over wondering what
was going on, but I don't think they could see at first.  I covered my bush
with my hand, but Ryosuke grabbed my wrists, and pulled them to the side
leaving me naked.  He darted a hand in fingering my pussy, getting me even
more excited.

   "Hey!  Cut that out.  They're right there." Thankfully, I think
Ryosuke's parents and brother had gone home, but Mr.  Tanaka was still here
with his wife and a bunch of other people.

   "No one's out here." Ryosuke took my hand to reassure me, but I kept
looking back at the party.  We were kind of hidden in the shade of the
trees, but there were lanterns here and there lighting up the dark.  I
could hear the sound of beating drums and laughter in the distance, so I
motioned for Ryosuke to let go, but he wouldn't.  He pulled his own
fundoshi down showing me his penis.

   I was so terrified, but Ryosuke was pretty insistent.  I kneeled down in
front of him, taking his manhood in my mouth trying to get him off that
way. It was pretty exciting, doing it with all these people so close by. 
From the look on his face, I could tell he was going to blow.  We heard a
sudden back, startling me, and before I knew he exploded.  I tried to pull
away, but he spewed cum on my face.

   I felt kind of violated, but I washed up using the water from the pond.
I scrambled to pull on my fundoshi before someone came out.  It was so hard
to get it done up, because I was still shaking.  He finally settled down
enough to help, and we got it tied in some semblance of a knot.

   Just as I was getting straightened up, Taka came out, and found us.  He
suspected immediately, wondering what I was doing down on my knees.  It was
a lucky thing 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 wanted to go somewhere with
Ryosuke, and do it for real.  Maybe next time.

   Anyway, take care.  See you soon,

   Emi Tsuruta
http://www.asstr.org/~emitsuruta/