Accompanied by a sound that seemed like mournful music,
another group of people appeared on the opposite side of the street.
The women leading the procession wore loose kimonos and wooden clogs on their feet.
Their faces were painted a deathly white.
The loose garments brought to mind the image of an old mountain demon.
The exaggerated hairstyles and strange movements immediately piqued the curiosity of the onlookers.
"This must be the geisha street procession," someone commented.
"How odd, it's even more somber than when my grandfather passed away," another remarked.
"In the dead of night like this, I thought I saw a ghost," a third added.
"These Japanese just love to dampen the mood, turning fine women into ghost-like figures!" yelled another.
"I've heard this thing is called the Summer Festival, a traditional holiday in Japan!" someone else piped in.
The bystanders along the street were discussing the scene, but their conversation wasn't changing anything.
