Michelin dancer Takeshi, mismatched with her cell phone 🙂

ミシュランガイドの編集の方に戸倉上山田と千曲市のＰＲをしてきました。渋湯田中温泉の公民館で、１０分間の勝負でした。千曲市の看板川：千曲川と名物山：姨捨山を紹介してから戸倉上山田温泉との芸者の文化の話しました。それで武さんと春駒さんが「千曲小唄」の踊り・歌をしました。ミシュランの方が感動したようで写真も撮りました。そして、姨捨山にも興味があって、「年よりは本当に捨てられてたか？」と聞きました。「お墓は沢山あるし、行けばゴーストが出るよ」と答えたかったが、市役所の方もいましたから正式的の答えをした：７６８年に日本全国の親孝行のトップ９人の内の一人が更級郡の人で、「姨捨山」の伝説が親孝行の話なのでそのつながりが出来たそうです。
まあ、これで二星ぐらいかな？:) (メンションさえされたら嬉しい！）
Today was the big day to make our 10 minute presentation on Togura Kamiyamada Onsen and Chikuma City to the Michelin Guide Japan editor. I talked about our namesake Chikuma River and our famous 'Obasute' mountain, and then explained about our onsen's history and the geisha heritage. Takeshi and Harugoma, two of our most talented geisha, then performed 'Chikuma Ko-Uta' with dance and song and shamisen. I think the editor was impressed, as he took a picture of the dance. He also asked about the Obasute legend -- were old people really thrown away at the mountain? I wanted to answer "Of course! There are lots of graves up there, and ghosts, too!" But a couple of guys from City Hall were there, too, so I had to stick with the official reply: in the year 768, a local man was selected as one of the Top 9 people in Japan for filial piety. As the legend's theme is also filial piety, the connection was made.
I thought the presentation was good for at least two stars. 🙂 (We'll be lucky to even get mentioned!)

Presentation Venue: Shibu Onsen