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７年に一度の御柱際に参加してきました。諏訪で丸太を乗ってきたのではなくて、この戸倉上山田温泉の佐良志奈神社の地元の祭。若宮地区から木やりを歌いながら、御柱を引っ張りました。諏訪の方は本番なので観光客が全国から（全世界から！）その迫力のある祭を見に来る。しかし、あまりにも人が多くて、結局あまりよく見れないと言う節もあります。この地元の神社の御柱際は観光客向きではなくて、地元の方の為です。その分で、地元の方は実際に御柱を引っ張れるので、それなりに楽しい。
私達はその地区に住んでいる知り合いに声をかけてもらって、参加する事ができました。次男を連れて、二人で地区の皆様と小野柱の繋いでいる紐を引っ張って、住宅街を通って、所々に家の方が待っていて、お酒やりんごジュース、柿ピーや苺を出してくれて、皆さんと仲間になって、とっても良かった。親子で良い思い出になった。
今度は18日に、千曲川の向こう側の水上布奈山神社の御柱際の予定です。長野県のあちらこちらでそれぞれの地元の御柱際が諏訪の本番の祭にあわせてやっています。機会があれば、ぜひ参加してみて下さい。

I got to participate in Onbashira. Not THE Onbashira festival in Suwa, the once-every-seven years event that draws people from all over the country, as well as all over the world. (I'd love the chance, though, to ride one of the logs down the hill in their signature event). The Onbashira festival that I got to participate in was put on by our local Sarashina Shrine here in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen. The festival in Suwa is much more intense, but with so many people, it's hard to see the action sometimes. On the other hand, this local festival was just for the locals, and was much more hands-on.
A friend of mine who lives in the Wakamiya district invited me to participate, so our son Kenny and I went to check it out. We took our place at the rope to pull the log, and dragged it through the neighborhood, stopping at some of the houses to partake in the sake and apple juice, crackers and strawberries that the people living there were offering us. Kenny and I enjoyed joining the people of the neighborhood and participating in this traditional festival.
Next weekend, the 18th of April, will be the Onbashira festival at Mizukamifunayama Shrine on the other side of the Chikuma River. In fact, all throughout Nagano, various local shrines will be having their own mini versions of the huge Onbashira festival in Suwa. If you get a chance, check it out!