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(日本語は下記）

Kamiyamada Onsen is overlooked by the centuries-old Habeshina Shrine. Every year, the shrine holds an Autumn Festival that usually takes place on the autumnal equinox, 23-Sept. However, this year the Fall Festival has been moved to the weekend and will be held on Sunday 26-September.

Habeshina Shrine's Fall Festival is a unique opportunity to see a small local festival here in the Japanese countryside. It is a time for the locals to give thanks for the harvest and enjoy some traditional fun. The day's schedule varies by year, but is generally something like this:

8am: Opening banquet at a nearby community center
10am: Ceremonial Procession departs the center.
12noon: Procession arrives at Habeshina Shrine
1pm: Adults sumo
2pm~: Kids sumo
Evening: Karaoke contest
8pm: Ending ceremony featuring an "okagura" shi-shi lion dance

The kids sumo is very entertaining to watch, and for the adults sumo, often times there are not enough participants. I have twice had the dubious honor of joining their ranks. You drink your way through the 8am banquet, parade around town in your 'fundoshi' g-string, then when your name is called, enter the ring and hope your opponent had more sake than you did.

(If you, too, are interested in being a sumo wrestler for a day, contact me here at Kamesei Ryokan and I can see about getting you an invitation.)

There are a few food and toys booths set up for the festival, and a lot of drinking goes on (sake is an important part of Japanese 'matsuri'). After it gets dark, at some point the sounds of the shi-shi flutes and taiko drums can be heard, as the okagura lion dance troupe finishes up its tour of the town and arrives back at the shrine. The elders gather in front of the shrine's main building holding 'chochin' lanterns, and the lion dance takes place in the center.

The lion dance by lantern-light is a pretty powerful experience. I was really moved by it when I first saw it right after moving here. Later, when the the leader of the troupe invited me to join, I was honored to accept. I'll be there this year trying to keep up with the other flutists.

上山田温泉を守る波閉科神社の秋祭りは通常なら9月23日（秋分の日）ですが、2010年は週末に移って、9月26日(日)と言う変更が決定されました。小さな、地元の祭りです。町の皆様が収穫の感謝を込めたお祝いです。とにかく、観光向けじゃないけれど、当地の伝統と触れ合えるからこそ、観光客は逆に楽しんで頂けるのではないかと思います。当日の予定は大体この感じです：

午前8時　近くの会場で宴会が開きます。
午前10時　宴会場から神社までの行列の出立
午後12時　行列が神社に到着
午後1時　大人の相撲
午後2時～　子供の相撲
夕方　カラオケ大会
午後8時　お神楽の獅子舞

今年の当日の予定はまだ決まっていないですが、大体こんな感じです。

子供相撲を見るのはかなり楽しいだし、大人相撲は人数が足りない場合が多くて、私は2回ほど参加さして頂いた事がございます。褌のままで行列を歩いて、そして名前が呼ばれたら土俵に入って、やる！運が良ければ、相手が自分より酔っぱらっているので勝てるかもしれない。

屋台も少しあるし、楽しい小さな祭りです。夜、暗くなってから、遠くから獅子笛と太鼓が聞こえてくる：お神楽の登場。最後は役員さん達の皆さんが提灯を持って、神社の本堂の前に並ぶ。その中で獅子舞の開催。

パワーのあるフィナーレです。

(私は上山田に引っ越しした時に波閉科神社の秋祭りを見て、終わりの獅子舞を見て、感動しました。その後、お神楽保存会の会長がメンバーになる様に誘ってくれた。「良いのですか？」と思いながら、入らせて頂きました。今年の祭りも私は獅子笛で参加します。）