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was the guy/girl with the horsehead walking around takeshita dori while you were there? how was the weather during your visit? it was 90 degrees with 90% humidity when I was there and they were still wearing all the costumes and get-ups. I was half shaking my head at the insanity and half admiring their commitment to their style.
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Didn't see the horse head guy, but it wouldn't have surprised me at all.
We were in Japan during what was apparently the worst heat wave in 50 years. It was 95+ degrees and humid every day. The costume kids seemed totally unfazed.
Kyoto was even hotter, at least in the city proper (which is down in a valley). On the way to Kyoto, we spent a couple of days at a hot springs resort in the mountains and I tried out the hot spring baths. While it was really soothing, I think it screwed up my body chemistry because for the next three days, I was sweating nonstop -- even when we were inside with air conditioning. I'm sure the Japanese appreciated having a big, sweaty white guy with a towel around his neck traipsing around their shrines sucking down beer and Pocari Sweat (basically, the Japanese version of Gatorade) in order to keep hydrated. I was really tempted just to wear my yukata around the town, which I saw a couple of Japanese guys doing.
One nice touch was at the Sanjusangendo temple, which put out an enormous block of ice at the entrance that you could use to cool your hands.
