It will be gathered again until that day July 22 at 20:32
The influence of the new coronavirus extends to local festivals and traditional culture. Four consecutive holidays from the 23rd. Usually, it is the time to start summer vacation, but I think that there are many people who give up summer because they cannot return to their hometown, participate in local events, and reunite with important people. Under such circumstances, there is a movement to narrow down the wisdom and connect the traditions.
(Yoshiyuki Gun, Shinsuke Ayuai, Shinichiro Kuninaka, Reporter, Network News Department)
"Missing festivals" in various places
Due to the new coronavirus, festivals and performances of traditional performing arts are being canceled one after another, such as the “Ground Festival of Gion Festival” in Kyoto, Hakata Gion Yamakasa, Nebuta Festival in Aomori, and Awa Odori in Tokushima.
People who were looking forward to participating in local festivals and events on the Internet are posting their voices of sorrow one after another.
"It's really hard to see local festivals cancelled"
"Because there is no Bon festival this year, there is a serious lack of festivals..."
"Every year I went back to my hometown for this festival, but I can't return until I settle down this year."
There are also voices of concern that it may affect the inheritance of local traditions.
"The fact that even people who have returned home for a festival can't come back means that the tradition of running the festival is interrupted, and many intangible folk cultural assets in this region are in danger of disappearing..."
Heavy rain damage in addition to corona
It is not only the new coronavirus that has hit traditional arts.
"Shonai Kagura" is popular in Shonai Town, Yufu City, Oita Prefecture. It is a traditional performing art that is characterized by brave dance, humorous movement, and powerful drum sounds. Regular performances are held from May to October every year and are popular.
However, due to the new coronavirus, all performances were canceled. In addition, the record heavy rain this month caused some groups to lose their clothes due to water and mud.
However, according to the Shonai Kagura Chairman's Office, each organization that joins the chairman wants to continue practicing kagura despite the effects of the new coronavirus and heavy rain.
Genki Matsumoto, the secretariat of the Shonai Kagura Chairperson's Office, said, "The more people say that if they can't see the Kagura, then it is a treasure and an indispensable thing for Shonai. In November, the Shonai Kagura Festival is held. I haven't decided yet if it can be held, but I would like to prepare."
What effect...
Concerns about festivals and performing arts transmitted to the area may be "dense" at the stage of practice and management meetings for the actual production, and this coronal disaster should have had a great impact. I asked the "All Japan Folk Performing Arts Association", which is working on the preservation and promotion of local performing arts, to see what kind of effects they have.
From February to this month, the association investigated the effects of the new coronavirus, and received responses from 59 groups, which accounted for about 30% of the 217 member groups.
According to it, 92% of the respondents answered that they have some influence on their activities.
Specifically, there were cancellations and postponements of regular performances, cancellations of practice, and income reductions due to event cancellations. After all, the influence of the new coronavirus extended to the local traditional culture.
Shutaro Koiwa, Deputy Director General of All Japan Folk Performing Arts Association said, “This year was an opportunity to transmit Japanese traditional culture because the Olympics and Paralympics were scheduled to be held, but on the contrary, the motivation of the bearers decreased and There are some places that are in crisis.Originally performing local arts only have messages from their predecessors, so we have to do our best to connect them to 50 years, 100 years and future generations."
On the other hand, despite these influences, each group manages to preserve the local performing arts by devising such means as broadcasting the performance video on cable TV (Nagano) and distribution using the video distribution site “YouTube” (Shimane). I also learned from this survey that I am trying to do this.
Can be lit online
The search for a "new festival style" has begun if we do not want to turn off the lights of festivals that continue in the area.
This is the "Surizawa Crystal Andon Festival" which is held in the Surisawa district of Daito Town, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture during the Obon Festival.
The handmade hexagonal andon light illuminates the city with the crystals that were once taken in this area. It is a community-based festival that is attended by locals and those who have returned home.
While preparing for this year's event, the new coronavirus will spread nationwide. Then, in May, it was decided not to hold the event as usual.
There are no infected people in Iwate Prefecture, including the Surizawa district, but with the aging of the population, there is concern about "denseness" in the work of decorating large androids, and people coming from outside the prefecture. It was a tough decision considering the effects of the coronavirus.
Mr. Yo Sakurai of "Andon Supporter" who supports the planning and operation of the festival "
I do not know what will happen to the new coronavirus in the future. If I cancel it, if it is the same situation next year I will have to cancel it again With the aging of the population and the difficulty of continuing the festival, if the festival is canceled for the second consecutive year, the festival itself will be gone."
The idea that came out was "online".
We are looking for online designs from all over the country. It will be posted on a special website on August 13th, when the festival starts every year, so that you can enjoy the “light” of online more and more.
When I started recruiting in the period from July to early August, not only local people but also people from hometown who have difficulty returning home have received applications.
Until the day of gathering again
Mr. Sakurai, who was born and raised in the Surisawa district, has been familiar with this festival since he was little. After leaving the district for employment, I returned three years ago, but I feel that the festival is "more lonesome" because the scale of the festival has been reduced and the Bon Odori that I had been doing since my childhood was gone. I say.
Mr. Sakurai was involved in planning and operation to make the festival more energetic, and last year about 3000 people, about 500 people more than usual, participated in the festival.
This year's "online event" is also seen as an opportunity to bring a new wind to the history of the festival.
Mr. Yo Sakurai
"I hope that holding the event online will increase the number of people who will be involved in the festival newly. People who have left the locals also think that it is interesting to do something like this locally. And if the new coronavirus calms down and everyone gathers together, I think we can have a more interesting festival."
"Festivals and events will be canceled nationwide, and local traditions will continue." I think there are many places that are worried that they will disappear, and I think it would be good if our "online festival" could deliver a positive message to such places."