いごもり祭 / The Igomori Festival

Before coming to Seika, I had the chance to peruse around the internet to see what the town would be like. Although most of the stuff wasn’t surprising, I kept running across pictures of a festival where what looked like a giant flaming log was being carried around. The festival was called “Igomori Matsuri,” and is apparently one of Seika’s more famous happenings. The festival looked like a lot of fun, and has been something I’ve looked forward to since coming to Seika.　And on January 18th, I finally got the chance to go.

来町前に、精華町はどういうところかを分かるようによくインターネットで検索しました｡多くのことは想像していた通りだったけど、氏子に運ばれている炎の丸太みたいな大松明の祭りの写真を何回も見ました｡いごもり祭と言われて､精華町の有名な出来事のようでした。祭りはとても楽しそうだったから、来町から一番期待していること一つでした。そして、1月18日（火）にいよいよ行けました｡

The festival is held yearly at Hosono Shrine in Seika, and consists of taking a huge torch made from bamboo trees and bean stalks, and then lighting the thing on fire and carrying it around the city streets. Though they’ve never weighed the torch, people at the festival told me it was about 80 kilos. And though it’s passed off between the parishioners now, apparently in the good ol’ days the torch was carried by only one man at a time. According to legend, the tradition was started to appease the vengeful spirit of Emperor Kaika’s brother Takehani Yasuhiko, who was killed for treason over 2000 years ago.

いごもり祭は毎年精華町の祝園神社で行われます。竹の木と豆の木でできている大松明に火をつけって、白装束の男の氏子に担がれ町内を練り歩きます。大松明を量ったことがないけど、ベテラン参加者によると80キロもあります。さらに､現在は何人かの氏子に交代で担がれているけど、昔は一人で担がれたそうです。伝説によると、2000年前に朝廷に背いた崇神天皇の弟武埴安彦（たけはにやすひこ）はこの辺りに討伐されて、鬼神になりました。武埴安彦の鬼神を鎮めるように、いごもり祭が始まったと言われています。

The festival had yet to start when I got there, but food stalls were set up, and people seemed to be having fun just milling about and talking. I started talking with some local kids, and basically became their buddy for the night. I told them jokes, taught some English and repeatedly explained that no, gorillas, lions, and giraffes don’t roam wild in America.

着いたら祭りはまだ始まっていなかったけど、屋台などが設置されたし、皆さんが楽しそうでぶらぶらしていました。地元の小学校生達と話し始めて、冗談を言ったり、英語を教えたり、アメリカでは野生のゴリラ、ライオン、キリンがいないと説明したり、すぐ仲良くなりました。

Soon the festival got under way, and the men tasked with carrying the torch started a fire inside Hosono shrine. Now, I knew there would some flame and such, but I was not prepared for the fifteen-foot high inferno that burst out, with flames licking the roof of the wooden temple. It seemed unsafe at the time, but somehow I made it back alive. After letting the flames die down, the torch was carried out and started on it’s journey around Seika. The torch is followed by a compartment containing the god of the shrine, and it took them about an hour to complete the course. By the time they finally got back, the torchbearers looked beat, but really happy to have taken part.

そしていごもり祭が始まって､氏子は祝園神社内で火を起こしました。火はちょっと大きいと分かっていたけど、神社の天井に届く高さ4メートルの炎には覚悟できていませんでした。その時はちょっと危なそうでしたけど､ちゃんと生きて帰ってきました。不火になったら、大松明は氏子に担がれ町内を練り歩き出しました｡大松明の後に神様が入っている箱が続いて、一時間後戻ってきました。氏子達は本当に疲れたみたいだったけど、参加できてうれしそうでした。

It was nice to see people of all ages at the event. These kinds of festivals are fun, not only because I got to see a huge burning torch this time, but also because you get to meet people from all age brackets and lifestyles. I spoke with everyone from elementary school kids to octogenarians, and learned a lot about the Igomori festival, and Seika’s history. Like town fairs in the States, Japanese festivals are a great place to meet people who, though you all live in the same town, might never run into otherwise. Admittedly though, American fairs usually don’t have giant burning torches, so this was a fun treat to see.

祭りを見れただけではなく、あらゆる年齢の人々と会えたから、いごもり祭が凄く好きになりました。小学校4年生から80歳代の方とも話して、いごもり祭と精華町の歴史について教えてもらいました。もう来年の祭りを楽しみしています。アメリカの祭りと同じで、日本の祭りで同じ所に住んでも普通に会わない人と会えるから面白いです。確かにアメリカの祭りはあまり炎の大松明がないから、いごもり祭を見れてよかったです。

Coming of age Day in Seika \ 成人の日

Although many countries and cultures have a coming of age tradition, the ways in which each celebrate are very different. Jewish children celebrate Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah, young Americans have their 21st birthday and all the revelry that goes with that, and in Japan there is Coming of Age Day. On January tenth, Coming of Age Ceremonies were held in every city, town and village in Japan, and people who turned twenty in past year gathered to celebrate the start of their new, adult lives.

成人の文化を持つ国や民族は多いですが､それぞれの文化の祝い方は大きく違います。ユダヤ教徒の子どもがバル・ミツワーとバト・ミツバー（子どもが大人の責任を持てる年齢に達したことを記念して行われる成人式。男の子が13歳になるとバル・ミツワーを､12歳になる女の子はバト・ミツバー）を祝って､アメリカ人は２１歳のパーティなどしますが、日本では成人の日があります。今年度二十歳になった若者が各市町村で行われる成人式に集まり、新しい門出を祝いました。



I was lucky enough to get to go to part of Seika’s Coming of Age ceremony, which started with a performance from the Seika Girls and Boys Chorus. There were at least a hundred kids in the chorus, and though I thought that a chorus that big and that young couldn't be too easy on the ears, the kids could really sing, and all the 20 year olds seemed impressed too. Then Mayor Kimura and Seika Town Assembly President Sugiura each gave a speech welcoming the new adults, expressing hope that all those in attendance take the time to thank their parents and everyone else who helped them grow and learn. Group pictures were taken, and all of the participants went upstairs for free food and games, whereupon, not wanting to be the elephant in the room, I gracefully bowed out.
私は運が良くて精華町の成人式に行けることになりました。成人式は少年少女合唱団の歌から始まりました。合唱に百人の子どもぐらいがいて､メンバーは多くて、若者ばかりなので、うまく歌えないと思いましたが､合唱の子どもたちは本当に凄くできて､新成人も感動したようでした。次に、木村町長と精華町議会の杉浦議長がスピーチをし､新成人が両親やお世話になった人にちゃんと感謝を伝えられるように期待を表しました。グループの写真が撮影後、新成人が交流会で軽食を食べたり、ゲームをしたりしましたが、私はその時に帰りました。

One of the most notable elements of Coming of Age Day is the dress that new adult women wear. Although young men normally dress in suits for the ceremony, the young women wear incredibly colorful furisode (a type of kimono with long sleeves), and often spend hours on their hair and make-up. Even if you don’t get to go to the actual ceremony, you’re still very likely to see young women wearing their furisode around town, and it’s always a surprise to walk onto a train and see a gaggle of young women decked out in elaborate gowns and gigantic hair. Although you see women in Kimono and Yukata at festivals and the like, the level of effort put into the Coming of Age Ceremony dresses is staggering, and expensive, with some young women spending thousands of dollars preparing the dress and make up.

成人の日といえば、新成人の女の人が着ている着物です。男の人は普通にスーツを着ますが、女の人は色彩豊かな振袖を着て､さらに髪などに何時間も費やします。成人式に行けなくても、振袖を着ている女の人を街で見る可能性は高く、電車などで振袖の格好をしている女の人達を見ると驚きます。

Santa for a Day / 一日のサンタクロース

This happened a little while back, but because it was the highlight of my year, I want to share it. In late December, I got to dress up as Santa Claus and visit a day-care in Seika, and it was fantastic.

これがちょっと前の話ですが、一年の一番楽しかったイベントでしたから、皆に教えたかったです。１２月下旬、私はサンタクロースの衣装を着て、精華町の保育所に訪問しました。本当に素的でした。

Admittedly, the day started out with me visiting kids under one year old, who upon seeing me promptly started crying. Though I felt bad about that, the teachers assured me that they cry when they see anyone new, so it’s kind of a given that a large bearded man wearing only red would freak them out a little bit. The older kids, on the other hand, were practically screaming with excitement when I (Santa) walked in the room. I sang them a few songs, answered their questions, and gave them presents that the teachers had helped prepare. I also got to pass out cards from kids in Norman, Oklahoma, Seika’s sister city. The kids were great, and it felt good to be able to make their day.

まず１歳下の児童と会いに行きましたが、児童達は私を見ると泣き出しました。気分が悪かったが、先生によるとその児童は知らない人を見たら泣き出します。体が大きくて赤い服で白ひげを生やした男を見ると、ちょっと恐がるのは当たり前ですね。しかし､サンタさん(私)が入った時に、年長児は興奮にワクワクしていました。子どもにクリスマス歌を歌って、質問を答えて、先生が準備してくれたプレゼントを渡しました。そして、精華町の姉妹都市オクラホマ州ノーマン市の生徒達からの手紙も渡しました。子どもたちは本当に凄くて､喜ばせるのはとても嬉しかったです。

When I got to work in January, there was a pile of cards from the kids at the nursery school on my desk. Sure, they were all addressed to Santa, but I was still touched.

１月に仕事に戻ったら、保育所の児童からの手紙は机のうえに置いてありました。もちろんサンタクロース宛でしたが、本当に感激しました。

9th Japanese Message Contest 第９回外国人によるとメッセージコンテスト

On December 19th, Seika Town held the 9th Annual Japanese Message Contest. Although there were not as many presenters as last year, 9 representatives from China, Costa Rica, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Romania came to give speeches about life in Japan. There were speeches on everything from the Japanese transportation system, to mountain climbing, the service industry, and even Dracula!　

「第９回外国人による日本語のメッセージコンテスト」が、１２月１９日(日）に開催されました。昨年のコンテストに比べて今回は出場者がすくなかったが、中国、コスタリカ、ウクライナ、ルーマニア、チェコの代表９人が日本に暮らして感じたことについて発表しました。日本の交通システム、山のぼり、サービス産業､ドラキュラまでのスピーチもありました。

Before the speeches, a recipient of the Seika Town Overseas Experience Grant gave a presentation about his experience studying abroad in the USA. As an American, I’m always interested to hear what surprises people about life in the States. For this student, he was surprised to see customers chatting with clerks at stores, since clerks in Japan are always very formal with customers. I definitely understand this sentiment, as I often try to make conversation with clerks here, often to be met only with confused silence.

メッセージコンテストの出場者の発表の前に､「精華町海外体験補助金」の受給者による米国での留学の体験について聞きました。アメリカ人として、外国人がアメリカの生活に驚くことを知りたいです。この学生にとって、日本の店員はいつもお客さんと丁寧にしているので､アメリカで店員とお客さんのおしゃべりを見てびっくりしました。確かにこの感じ分かりますが､日本でよく店員さんと話し掛けるが、たいてい会話に入りません。

After this it was time for the main event. I have to say I was really impressed by how well everyone did. Though I’ve studied Japanese for a long time, there is a definite difference between knowing Japanese and being able to give a presentation in it. The presenters all had different levels of Japanese skill, but everyone did really, really well, and you could tell they practiced a lot. The audience seemed really interested and during the breaks there were a lot of questions and discussion going on between the presenters and the audience members.

これの後、当日の本番が始まりました。本当に皆の発表に感心しました。私はもう何年間日本語を勉強しましたが､日本語で話せるのと日本語と発表出来るのは完全違います。発表者はそれぞれの日本語の能力がありましたが、皆は凄く良くできて､よく練習していたと分かりました。視聴者は、外国人から見た日本の社会や文化の意見を聞いて楽しんでいるようで、休憩の時に発表者と視聴者の間でいいディスカションがありました。

After the speeches, we were treated to a performance of “The Magic Box” by the members of the Seika West Middle School International Exchange Club. The students performed the play, about a magical box that grants three wishes, entirely in English, with explanations in Japanese and English. Remembering my middle school days, I think I would have had a heart attack just standing in front of a crowd, much less performing in a foreign language, so it was nice to see kids with so much gusto and confidence.

視聴者も出場者も、精華西中学校国際交流部による「オズの魔法使い」の英語劇を楽しみました。英語のセリフをじっくり暗記した熱心な努力に感動しました。国際交流部は精華町や日本の学校生活などを紹介したものも展示しました。これを精華町の姉妹都市である米国オクラホマ州ノーマン市にある中学校で展示していただく予定があります。

At last, via votes from audience members and the panel of judges, Shu Meiji from China was announced as the winner for her speech 「わたしの１６才」(My 16th Year), discussing the issues she faces living in Japan all by herself at 16. Despite her young age, Shu has fantastic Japanese, and it makes me jealous to think how fluent she will be by the time she is my age.

視聴者の投票と審査員の審査により、最優秀賞は、日本に住んでいる１６才の若い人の生活について発表した、中国出身の周明慈さんの「わたしの１６才」に決定されました。若いくせに、周さんは日本語で凄く上手で、絶対将来で凄いことが出来ると思います。

The event was a lot of fun, and it was really good to hear what other foreign residents of Japan like myself think. Oftentimes I forget that there are over 3 million of us living in Japan, and that we can get a lot out of talking to and learning from each other. I hope you readers can participate next year too!

このイベントを通し、楽しい雰囲気の中、コミュニケーションをし、異文化交流をすることができました。来年はぜひあなたも参加されてはいかがでしょうか。