2011年10月31日
Busshozan Fall Festival cont'd
The Busshozan Daimyō Gyoretsu festival was created to revitalize the local community. I asked one of the organizers what impact it has had. His response:
“It has strengthened the connections between people. Since we began doing this, local people have become more involved in other community activities year-round and it's created a vibrant and very friendly atmosphere in the town. People get involved in the festival because they take pride in the community and in their heritage, not out of a sense of obligation. We do it for Busshozan, not for ourselves.”
My very helpful informant
This community spirit was in evidence everywhere and for me it was one of the fun things about the festival. It is supported almost entirely by volunteers and the whole community gets involved. The volunteer fire department is responsible for crowd and traffic control. Community cultural groups like the local band and an Okinawan dancing troupe join in the parade.
Band
Ryukyu dancers
School children dressed in a combination of period garb and school gym clothes race ahead of the procession, supposedly carrying important messages for the daimyo. They have to solve difficult quiz questions along the way as they compete to reach the goal.
Members of an organization for the preservation of ancient firearms launches the parade with a deafening volley of shots. And all participants in the parade except for a few professional swordfighters are volunteers.
Very cool swordfighting hero
Some volunteers come from as far away as Hiroshima and Tokyo and many are repeaters, such as these beautiful ladies here.
The woman on the left is seventy (though she doesn't look it!!) and comes from Marugame, about 1 hour away from Takamatsu. This is her second time to participate. The girl beside her is a junior high school student. They both do it because it's fun! Just for your information, anyone can join. It's advertised each year in the Takamatsu city bulletin so keep your eyes open. There are only 50 spots available though and it's first come first served.
It's good to go a bit early to find a good viewing spot because it gets quite jammed. Being short and also a bit shy, I got lots of crowd shots.
There are several places along the parade route where the procession is attacked by would-be assassins and defeated by what I assume must be the captain of the guard. (See Pat's blog for photos.) It's quite exciting and fun to watch but for the best view, you need to stake out a place. The first attack occurs just after the parade begins. Two more attacks occur along the road (you can tell because that's where it's most crowded), culminating in a final attack in the park. The give and take is quite humorous and even though I had to peer over many heads to see, it was still fun to watch.
Crowd starting to gather at strategic point
The parade route is lined with historic buildings. Many community groups and businesses rent space along here to sell their wares and advertise their services. Such as this group from a local osteopath offering free massages along with demonstrations of curious therapeutic goods.
A leg massage anyone?
This group from a daycare center for the elderly is selling goods to support disaster relief efforts in northern Japan.
Daycare center moss ball bonsai
There are also various types of entertainment, such as this juggling act provided by students from Takamatsu's technical college, Kosen.
Jugglers
In Busshozan Park, the final destination of the procession, there are countless booths and kiosks selling food, plants, and other local products. The proceeds fund the different groups' activities for the year. Community groups specializing in different performing arts also take this opportunity to showcase their talents on the open-air stage. There's lots going on and it's fun to just wander about.
Open air stage
Another good point: Apparently, the festival has increased environmental consciousness. Students from the local schools collect, separate and recycle the garbage during the festival. “We managed to reduce 3 truckloads worth of garbage this way, which has saved us a lot of money." As I sat enjoying a snack in the park, my garbage was indeed whisked politely away by a student volunteer.
One of many student-manned garbage stations at the festival
With or without the festival, Busshozan is a great place to visit and I hope to post a few more articles on it in the future. For anyone free on November 3, 2011, there's a big lantern festival with hundreds of lanterns planned along the historic shopping street up to Honeji Temple from 13:30 to 20:00 to celebrate the completion of the temple's new pagoda. Enjoy!
Access:
I recommend going by train, not car, when the festival is on because it's very crowded. It's extremely easy to reach Busshozan by Kotoden train. There are 3 trains per hour and it's only an 18-minute ride from Takamatsu Chikko Station right beside Tamamo Park at the Takamatsu port (620 yen round trip). Get off at Busshozan station and turn left once you get outside. Just a short distance down past the convenience store is the starting point of the festival. There are lots of friendly volunteers dressed in bright pink, yellow and green jackets so ask if you feel lost. It takes about 20 minutes brisk walk to Honenji Temple and the park but during the festival there is lots to see along the way so expect to take longer. When the procession is in full swing, if you need to get ahead, it's OK to weave your way politely through the parade itself as people frequently stop the participants to take photos.
“It has strengthened the connections between people. Since we began doing this, local people have become more involved in other community activities year-round and it's created a vibrant and very friendly atmosphere in the town. People get involved in the festival because they take pride in the community and in their heritage, not out of a sense of obligation. We do it for Busshozan, not for ourselves.”
My very helpful informant
This community spirit was in evidence everywhere and for me it was one of the fun things about the festival. It is supported almost entirely by volunteers and the whole community gets involved. The volunteer fire department is responsible for crowd and traffic control. Community cultural groups like the local band and an Okinawan dancing troupe join in the parade.
Band
Ryukyu dancers
School children dressed in a combination of period garb and school gym clothes race ahead of the procession, supposedly carrying important messages for the daimyo. They have to solve difficult quiz questions along the way as they compete to reach the goal.
Members of an organization for the preservation of ancient firearms launches the parade with a deafening volley of shots. And all participants in the parade except for a few professional swordfighters are volunteers.
Very cool swordfighting hero
Some volunteers come from as far away as Hiroshima and Tokyo and many are repeaters, such as these beautiful ladies here.
The woman on the left is seventy (though she doesn't look it!!) and comes from Marugame, about 1 hour away from Takamatsu. This is her second time to participate. The girl beside her is a junior high school student. They both do it because it's fun! Just for your information, anyone can join. It's advertised each year in the Takamatsu city bulletin so keep your eyes open. There are only 50 spots available though and it's first come first served.
It's good to go a bit early to find a good viewing spot because it gets quite jammed. Being short and also a bit shy, I got lots of crowd shots.
There are several places along the parade route where the procession is attacked by would-be assassins and defeated by what I assume must be the captain of the guard. (See Pat's blog for photos.) It's quite exciting and fun to watch but for the best view, you need to stake out a place. The first attack occurs just after the parade begins. Two more attacks occur along the road (you can tell because that's where it's most crowded), culminating in a final attack in the park. The give and take is quite humorous and even though I had to peer over many heads to see, it was still fun to watch.
Crowd starting to gather at strategic point
The parade route is lined with historic buildings. Many community groups and businesses rent space along here to sell their wares and advertise their services. Such as this group from a local osteopath offering free massages along with demonstrations of curious therapeutic goods.
A leg massage anyone?
This group from a daycare center for the elderly is selling goods to support disaster relief efforts in northern Japan.
Daycare center moss ball bonsai
There are also various types of entertainment, such as this juggling act provided by students from Takamatsu's technical college, Kosen.
Jugglers
In Busshozan Park, the final destination of the procession, there are countless booths and kiosks selling food, plants, and other local products. The proceeds fund the different groups' activities for the year. Community groups specializing in different performing arts also take this opportunity to showcase their talents on the open-air stage. There's lots going on and it's fun to just wander about.
Open air stage
Another good point: Apparently, the festival has increased environmental consciousness. Students from the local schools collect, separate and recycle the garbage during the festival. “We managed to reduce 3 truckloads worth of garbage this way, which has saved us a lot of money." As I sat enjoying a snack in the park, my garbage was indeed whisked politely away by a student volunteer.
One of many student-manned garbage stations at the festival
With or without the festival, Busshozan is a great place to visit and I hope to post a few more articles on it in the future. For anyone free on November 3, 2011, there's a big lantern festival with hundreds of lanterns planned along the historic shopping street up to Honeji Temple from 13:30 to 20:00 to celebrate the completion of the temple's new pagoda. Enjoy!
Access:
I recommend going by train, not car, when the festival is on because it's very crowded. It's extremely easy to reach Busshozan by Kotoden train. There are 3 trains per hour and it's only an 18-minute ride from Takamatsu Chikko Station right beside Tamamo Park at the Takamatsu port (620 yen round trip). Get off at Busshozan station and turn left once you get outside. Just a short distance down past the convenience store is the starting point of the festival. There are lots of friendly volunteers dressed in bright pink, yellow and green jackets so ask if you feel lost. It takes about 20 minutes brisk walk to Honenji Temple and the park but during the festival there is lots to see along the way so expect to take longer. When the procession is in full swing, if you need to get ahead, it's OK to weave your way politely through the parade itself as people frequently stop the participants to take photos.
2011年10月31日
Busshozan Fall Festival
A Step Back in Time
I love October in Takamatsu – perfect weather, except for the odd typhoon, and plenty of local harvest festivals to keep me entertained. Some of these festivals are pretty exciting and draw large crowds. Fellow blogger Pat and I had great fun checking out one of these the other day: the famous Busshozan Daimyō Gyoretsu. (Check Pat's blog for some great photos of period costumes http://pat.ashita-sanuki.jp/ .)
A visit to the Busshozan area is a wonderful way to step back in time. The community originated as a temple town. Takamatsu's ruling daimyo (territorial magnate) and his family used to travel about 15 km inland from their castle on the sea to Busshozan to attend religious ceremonies at Honenji Temple.
Gate to temple en route to Honenji
Honenji pagoda
Shops and other establishments catering to these distinguished visitors sprang up along the route to the daimyo's temple. Many of these buildings are still in use.
Old store front with Pat reflected in the window
Fusion of old and new
The Daimyō Gyoretsu festival, however, is a new invention that began just 19 years ago. At that time, many regional governments were trying to revitalize local communities, offering them 10 million yen each as a start up fund. With the population and prosperity of their area in serious decline, the local people of Busshozan jumped at this opportunity. They decided to exploit the town's historical setting and turned their annual autumn festival into a two-day event featuring a procession of the daimyō and his retainers dressed in Edo period costumes, a spectacular fireworks display and various other forms of entertainment.
"Lady-in-waiting" waiting for the parade to begin.
"Princess" practicing her riding before the procession starts
The festival was so successful that it has continued ever since, drawing crowds of up to 150,000 people annually. It is now supported by local sponsors, including the supermarket chain Marunaka (recently taken over by the non-local Aeon). Sponsors purchase advertising space along the route such as these banners below.
Advertising banners on route to temple
The procession featured at the festival, however, is not a re-enactment of the daimyō's temple visit. That, the organizers thought, would be too dull. Instead, it's a re-enactment of the Daimyō Gyoretsu. Here's a little background to this custom, followed by a look at some of the points of interest at the festival.
Daimyō were the rulers who once governed the individual territories in Japan. During the Edo period (1603-1867), all daimyō were forced to spend every other year at the Tokugawa court in Edo. Their families were required to live in Edo full-time. Known as Sankin Kōtai, this system gave the ruling Tokugawa clan political and economic control over the country. The daimyō expended huge sums of money on travel to Edo alone (in contemporary terms, between 300 and 500 million yen – Wow!!). And that doesn't even count what was spent on maintaining family households in the capital The custom thus successfully weakened the daimyō's financial and military power. The fact that their families were hostages in all but name further ensured the daimyo's allegiance to the Tokugawa government and their military support in time of need. The Sankin Kōtai system, which established peace and stability after a long period of warring among the various states, lasted over 250 years until the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1867.
So imagine yourself in an Edo-period town with warriors striding through streets. Behind them follows a grand procession of retainers and kimono-clad ladies-in-waiting.
People drop what they are doing to kneel in the road, their heads bowed low. Any hapless soul who unwittingly crosses the procession's path could be cut down for his rudeness, the only exception being the midwife hurrying to deliver a baby.
Well, what Pat and I saw wasn't quite like that but it was nevertheless impressive, not to mention fun! I'll leave that, however, for my next article. In other words, to be continued!!!
I love October in Takamatsu – perfect weather, except for the odd typhoon, and plenty of local harvest festivals to keep me entertained. Some of these festivals are pretty exciting and draw large crowds. Fellow blogger Pat and I had great fun checking out one of these the other day: the famous Busshozan Daimyō Gyoretsu. (Check Pat's blog for some great photos of period costumes http://pat.ashita-sanuki.jp/ .)
A visit to the Busshozan area is a wonderful way to step back in time. The community originated as a temple town. Takamatsu's ruling daimyo (territorial magnate) and his family used to travel about 15 km inland from their castle on the sea to Busshozan to attend religious ceremonies at Honenji Temple.
Gate to temple en route to Honenji
Honenji pagoda
Shops and other establishments catering to these distinguished visitors sprang up along the route to the daimyo's temple. Many of these buildings are still in use.
Old store front with Pat reflected in the window
Fusion of old and new
The Daimyō Gyoretsu festival, however, is a new invention that began just 19 years ago. At that time, many regional governments were trying to revitalize local communities, offering them 10 million yen each as a start up fund. With the population and prosperity of their area in serious decline, the local people of Busshozan jumped at this opportunity. They decided to exploit the town's historical setting and turned their annual autumn festival into a two-day event featuring a procession of the daimyō and his retainers dressed in Edo period costumes, a spectacular fireworks display and various other forms of entertainment.
"Lady-in-waiting" waiting for the parade to begin.
"Princess" practicing her riding before the procession starts
The festival was so successful that it has continued ever since, drawing crowds of up to 150,000 people annually. It is now supported by local sponsors, including the supermarket chain Marunaka (recently taken over by the non-local Aeon). Sponsors purchase advertising space along the route such as these banners below.
Advertising banners on route to temple
The procession featured at the festival, however, is not a re-enactment of the daimyō's temple visit. That, the organizers thought, would be too dull. Instead, it's a re-enactment of the Daimyō Gyoretsu. Here's a little background to this custom, followed by a look at some of the points of interest at the festival.
Daimyō were the rulers who once governed the individual territories in Japan. During the Edo period (1603-1867), all daimyō were forced to spend every other year at the Tokugawa court in Edo. Their families were required to live in Edo full-time. Known as Sankin Kōtai, this system gave the ruling Tokugawa clan political and economic control over the country. The daimyō expended huge sums of money on travel to Edo alone (in contemporary terms, between 300 and 500 million yen – Wow!!). And that doesn't even count what was spent on maintaining family households in the capital The custom thus successfully weakened the daimyō's financial and military power. The fact that their families were hostages in all but name further ensured the daimyo's allegiance to the Tokugawa government and their military support in time of need. The Sankin Kōtai system, which established peace and stability after a long period of warring among the various states, lasted over 250 years until the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1867.
So imagine yourself in an Edo-period town with warriors striding through streets. Behind them follows a grand procession of retainers and kimono-clad ladies-in-waiting.
People drop what they are doing to kneel in the road, their heads bowed low. Any hapless soul who unwittingly crosses the procession's path could be cut down for his rudeness, the only exception being the midwife hurrying to deliver a baby.
Well, what Pat and I saw wasn't quite like that but it was nevertheless impressive, not to mention fun! I'll leave that, however, for my next article. In other words, to be continued!!!
