At the starting point of the slide there are people who make slip down to the Bamboo the noodles, pouring water and almost creating a small stream. These noodles are called Soumen and are made of flour, previously cooked and cooled down in a bowl with ice.
At the end of the slide there is a bowl with a net on it that accumulates the water and the noodles that reach the end. People take up position on the sides and with chopstick (Ashii in Japanese) have to take the noodles that come down. In the other hand you have a glass containing a "cold soup" in which bathe and dress the Soumen. This cold soup is a mixture of soy sauce, dried fish, spring onion, ginger, a Japanese herb called Shiso, a bit of wasabi, and for those who wants even dried plums.
A dish pleasant and very popular during the summer but normally served in a simple way on the table like any other dish. This peculiar and interesting method which I witnessed is quite rare these days... an old tradition a bit complicated and not easy to use everywhere.