Kanagawa/Japanese Traditional Culture Festival Special Feature “30th Jitsutomo Festival/Special Project for the 800th Anniversary of Minamoto no Yoritomo’s Death”
A ceremony to mourn the spirit of Minamoto Sanetomo for the first time in 100 years will be held along with the 30th Sanetomo Festival
-You can feel the enthusiasm for holding the festival, with posters being pasted at all 72 stations on the Odakyu Line.
This year is the 30th anniversary, and also the 800th anniversary of the death of Sanetomo. The 800th anniversary is especially special. It was over 100 years ago that Buddhist rituals were held in this area where the Minamoto no Sanecho Gokubizuka is located. Unfortunately, due to the Great Kanto Earthquake, only the ruins of the torii gate remain as reminders of that time, and now there is no way to know the details of the Buddhist rituals or how people felt when they visited the shrine. However, as a festival ceremony in the Hadano Higashi district, a place connected to Prince Sanetomo, preparations are underway to make it a memorable event that will remain in everyone's hearts.
-I heard that you have spent a considerable amount of time preparing for this event.
It started in June 2016, so it's been about a year and a half. In other words, it started before the last Jitsuya Matsuri was held (lol). I have been serving as the executive committee chair for the 28th time, but this time, not only the period, but also the number of people involved and the scale of the event are different from previous years. So it was difficult at first.
The Sanecho Festival is a festival created by everyone in the Higashi district. That's why a wide variety of people from the area participate, from children to the elderly, local organizations, and experts. This year, there will be a special project to commemorate the 800th anniversary, and in addition to kindergarteners, elementary school students, middle school students, and high school students for the first time, we will also be volunteering for children. There are also many organizations such as youth associations and women's associations, totaling 36 organizations. In addition, there are 12 members of the former neighborhood association who support preparations and operations, and a total of 35 other members who plan the event, including the chief priest of Kongoji Temple, which is connected to Sanetomo, and the principal of the elementary school, with the cooperation of the former neighborhood president. exceeds. As the chairperson of the committee, I am responsible for proposing plans, managing progress, checking and sharing communications, etc., so it's already quite difficult (lol).
-In addition to your duties as committee chairperson, Mr. Takahashi also worked on the manuscript for the picture-story show that was planned as an event.
I agree. In reality, there are four people who decide on their positions and create the documents by dividing up their roles. Kamishibai is something that you can immediately enjoy watching, but I feel that it is really difficult to make it.
The story focuses on the whereabouts of the head of Lord Sanetomo, as the ``Misotomo Mishirushi Mound'' is located in the eastern area. First, let me briefly explain the historical facts. When Sanetomo was 27 years old, he was assassinated by his nephew Kugyo at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. Kimiaki takes away the head, but is defeated by Sadakage Nagao, a vassal of Miura Yoshimura. It is said that Tsuneharu Take, who was a vassal of the Miura clan like Sadakage Nagao, recovered Sanetomo's head and buried it where the current Mikubizuka is located. The picture-story show is titled ``Where the Head of Lord Sanetomo Goes'' and uses sources such as ``Sagami Fudoki'', ``Azuma Kagami'', and ``Gukansho'' as reference, and while it is based on historical facts as much as possible, it depicts the people of Sanetomo, for example. It also includes emotional topics such as sex and the feelings of the mother, Masako Hojo, who lost her beloved son. We put a lot of effort into creating a story that is based on historical fact and that even children can enjoy.
However, we received the cooperation of the descendants of Tsuneharu Take, who supervised the work, and the children at the first unveiling the other day were happy, so I am feeling a positive response. On the day of the event, we will be handing out starch syrup, which is essential for kamishibai performances, so we hope that as many people as possible will enjoy it.
In the highlight, the biwa narrates the true morning, and gagaku invites visitors to a historical romance.
-It seems like the main event will be even more fulfilling this time.
I don't think this is something you can experience very often. It is a performance of ``Shinobue/Biwa'' and ``Gagaku.''
Regarding the shinobue and biwa, we are planning to perform ``Aoba no Fue'' on the shinobue and ``Biwa Katari'' by Sanetomo on the biwa. There may be many people, especially young people, who have never heard either performance, but their unique tones and tone of speech resonate in the hearts of Japanese people across generations. I think so.
We also invite famous groups for Gagaku. The performance at Hibita Gagakukai at Hibita Shrine in Isehara City, which is adjacent to Hadano City, was truly wonderful. They actively perform overseas and are known as a gagaku group with fans all over the world. Actually, there was a time when I was having a hard time thinking about what to do as the main event. At that time, I happened to see a performance being shown on TV, and I instinctively knew, ``This is it.'' It would be a perfect event to mark the 800th anniversary of his death.
-It looks like it will be a festival where you can feel more historical romance. Come to think of it, there will also be original tenugui gifts available to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.
I just went to a production meeting today, and it's in the final stages. This also looks like it will turn out well. The design features the logo title of the Sanetomo Festival, a seated statue of Sanetomo, and a waka poem written by Sanetomo. Additionally, on the day of the event, we will be inviting people with ties to Kamakura, including the mayor of Kamakura City, as guests.As a return gift, we will be handing out commemorative masu cups with Sanetomo's design on them, and they will be able to enjoy sake. I also have plans to have some.
Kenchin soup served in a 4-meter large pot and many food stalls add color to the festival.
-This time, it seems like there's a trick to one of the festival's attractions, ``the enjoyment of food.''
They use a large pot called ``Sennin Nabe'' and serve Kenchin soup for free. The diameter of the pot is 4 meters. It must be quite impressive as a spectacle (lol). On the other hand, the recipe for Kenchin soup is a traditional recipe. There is Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura, which is said to be the birthplace of kenchinjiru, and we learned about the traditional way of making it. Also, the Sennin-nabe has a special feature: you can divide the inside of the pot. So this time, in addition to Kenchin soup, we also have ``Oshiruko'' and ``Onion soup.'' I'm sure you'll be happy with the shiruko soup, and the onion soup is also good. It's my personal preference, but it's really delicious when you drink it after drinking alcohol (lol).
Various neighborhood associations, organizations, and residents cooperate to hold mock shops that sell ``ramen,'' ``soba,'' ``yakitori,'' ``corn,'' ``isobe mochi,'' ``manju,'' and ``vegetable direct sales.'' There is a lot to offer, so we hope everyone from children to the elderly can enjoy it to the fullest.
-Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for the Sanecho Festival.
I am also the president of the East District neighborhood association, and I consider the Sanecho Festival to be part of our ``town development.'' The Sanecho Festival is said to be able to contribute to a richer life in the area. That's why we want to create a festival that not only the visitors, but everyone involved in the festival can feel ``good'' and ``fun.''
It is also a special year, marking the 800th anniversary of the death, and we have many events planned for the first time, so we hope that as many people as possible will come. On the day of the event, children dressed as Chigo warriors will be waiting for your visit. Please enjoy the Sanetomo Festival while experiencing the history of Sanetomo and the climate of Hadano/Higashitawara.
