東鳴子お神輿祭り

A break from writing this past week and a half, as I used my free time to rest my body from the many recent adventures, enjoy the onsen of Naruko, begin reading again (two gripping books, Nobel Prize Winner Richard Feynman's "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman" and James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces"), continue my Japanese study efforts, and consider what lies ahead for me post-Japan.

This past Sunday, however, I took a break from all that to take part, at the behest of my principal and innkeeper friend, in the Higashi Naruko Omikoshi Matsuri, otherwise known as the East Naruko Portable Shrine Festival. I participated last year as well, and it was moderately interesting, but also miserably cold and wet. This year we had a fine day, and I was much happier to join. The shrine, shouldered by 8-10 folks at a time, is carried from business to business within the town (mostly inns) where the proprietors put out a spread of food, tea, and beer/sake for all the participants to partake. While being carried, the bearers and the rest of the people walking with the procession, chant something like "Wa-shoi", which directly translated, means "Lets all together carry this in harmony". Upon arrival at an establishment, the bearers spin the shrine exactly one revolution, and then hoist it in the air three times before setting it down on its stand. Then, everyone eats and drinks.




I did more my than my share of the carrying, for some reason always on the right side, and thus my left shoulder was still a littl sore three days later. I had hoped to meet some new folks in my neighborhood, but apart from the innkeeper and a few of my students and PTA members whom I already knew, much of the group was made up of out-of-towners (from Tokyo I think) who were none too friendly. One of these city slickers did talk to me a bit, but in a rather rude/drunk fashion. At one inn, he shouted to the old matron of the house, who came out to serve us homemade sake ("doburoku") and wore a hearing aid, "Hey grandma, what do you make of this strange gaijin?" The dear old woman, seemingly indifferent to where I came from, said nothing, poured me a glass of the bitter brew and probably didn't hear my sincere "Arigatou gozaimashita!"



After several hours, we took a break at the community center and had a wonderful Japanese lunch of miso soup, delicious onigiri/rice balls, salmon, tea, and more beer. During lunch I talked to two of my students, whom were much more eager to speak English outside of class, but I had to fend off the Big Shot who continued to bombard me with his attitude/drunkeness. Just after finishing my lunch, I heard my name mentioned, and turned around. A middle-aged lady whom I didn't know was looking at me funny, and turned back to her friend and said "Michael ga yowai nee?" (Michael is weak, isn't he?). Not a clue to what she was talking about, but still offended, I retorted "tsuyoi da yo!" (I'm quite strong!).

Not acustommed to having a few drinks in the morning, I felt quite sleepy after lunch and decided to skip the afternoon procession in favor of a nap. I walked happily home in the warm sunshine, musing about the fine morning, and yet with a sourness in mouth not entirely imparted by the doburoku.