Kanagawa/Japanese Traditional Culture Festival Special Feature “Fujisawa Inn/Pleasure Bon Festival” (Fujisawa Edition)

◇Odori Nenbutsu, which is said to be the origin of Bon dances in various regions, began at Yugyoji Temple in Fujisawa◇

When and how did the Fujisawa-shuku Yugyo-no-Bon festival begin?

Chairman Masuda

This festival began in 2005 as part of the city's revitalization efforts, with the desire to bring back the liveliness to the shopping district around Fujisawa Station and raise the profile of Fujisawa City throughout the country. When you mention Shonan, Kamakura and Chigasaki immediately come to mind. It is rare to hear the place name Fujisawa, and it seems that it is still relatively unknown nationwide. This idea came to us after thinking about how we could create a Fujisawa-esque festival that feels original and unlike anything else. Fujisawa once developed as a temple town to Seijokoji Temple, the head temple of the Jishu sect, and as a post station on the Tokaido route. Seijoko-ji Temple is also called ``Yugyoji Temple'' because Ippen Shonin, the founder of Jishu Buddhism, traveled all over the country for training. The roots of Bon Odori are said to be ``Odori Nembutsu,'' which is said to be when a disciple suddenly started dancing while chanting the Nembutsu, and the people who were watching them started dancing as well. I'm sure they chanted the nenbutsu in a singing manner and danced because they couldn't attract the attention of the people if they just chanted the nenbutsu. If Odori Nenbutsu has been passed down at Yugyoji Temple, then Fujisawa, where the head temple is located, can be said to be the origin of Bon Odori in various regions. "Fujisawa Inn/Yugyo no Bon" was born by taking advantage of the history and culture left behind in Fujisawa.

What exactly have you done to revitalize the town through Bon Odori?

Scenes from the entertainment contest

Initially, I spent a year visiting famous Bon Odori regions across the country and researching Bon Odori events. This is great, and even though we would like to host the event, there were times when it would not be possible to do so right away due to budget constraints and other constraints depending on the region. In order to revitalize the town, we will invite different dances and festivals every year as an addition to Japan's three major Bon dances, as ``If you come to Fujisawa, which is the birthplace of Bon dance, you can see a nationwide variety of distinctive Bon dances all at once.'' I'm trying. In particular, they have continued to participate in the Saiba Onnai Bon Dance, which is one of Japan's three major Bon Dances and has been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of the country, since the first festival, and we have had a really good relationship with them.
Furthermore, in order to promote Fujisawa nationwide, we asked experts to create a new Bon dance for Fujisawa called the "Shonan Fujisawa Yugyo Odori." The person we asked to create and supervise the dance was playwright and director Masaru Shiraishi, who is related to playwright Shuji Terayama. The motif is the ``Odori Nenbutsu'' that has been passed down at Yugyo-ji Temple, and it consists of six dance groups, with the main dance being called ``Yugyo Bayashi.'' A Yugyobayashi contest is held in which citizens participate by dancing, and at the climax of the festival, a Obon Odori Festival is held on the grounds of Yugyoji Temple.

What were the special features of this year's Fujisawa-shuku Yugyo-no-Bon festival?

Foreigners also participated

This year, in addition to Nishiba Onnai Bon Odori, Gujo Odori, and Awa Odori, which are the three major Bon Odori dances in Japan, this year we have invited Morioka Sansa Odori as a summer festival representing Tohoku, and they will perform Bon Odori with a light tempo and dance with drums. Ta. As a new initiative, we held a mini fair and Bon dance at the Ranburu Shopping Street at the south exit of the station, and a Bon dance at Sun Palette at the north exit. Furthermore, this year, a group of international students from Tama University's Shonan campus and foreign residents living in the city will appear, making the event more international than ever. There are still very few foreigners participating, so I would like to see more people participate and enjoy the event in the future.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a sailing competition will be held in Enoshima. Please tell us your thoughts on how to develop this festival.

Awa Odori dance on the grounds of Yugyoji Temple

The popularity of Yugyo-no-Bon is increasing year by year, and people come from not only the city but also from far away to see the Bon dances from all over the country. Bon Odori is a wonderful traditional culture where everyone from small children to the elderly can sing and dance together. In the future, I would like to take on the challenge of taking advantage of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic sailing competition being held in Enoshima. First of all, we would like to work together with everyone who participated in the Obon Festival to disseminate information and raise awareness of Fujisawa. We hope that this festival will lead to the success of the Enoshima sailing competition and attract more visitors.

I think it's more fun to participate in the Bon Odori dance than to watch it. I hope that the economy will become even more interconnected by inviting a wide range of people to participate and centering on the Bon Odori festival. thank you very much.

What is Gujo Odori?
Bon Odori is the longest dance in Japan and is danced for 33 nights from mid-July to early September. It has been sung and danced in the castle town of Gujo Hachiman (Gifu Prefecture) for 400 years. The Gujo Odori Preservation Society from its home, Gujo Hachiman, Gifu Prefecture, will perform music and dance.

What is Nishiba Onnai Bon Odori?
This traditional dance has been designated as a national important intangible folk cultural property and has been passed down in Ugo Town, Akita Prefecture, for about 700 years. It is characterized by lively musical accompaniment and beautiful dancing, and the dancers wear ancestral hemmed kimonos and wear knitted hats with beautiful curves. Young, underage women dance with a headgear called ``Hikosazukin,'' which is completely covered over their heads. Appears as a guest every year since the first Yugyo-no-Bon.

What is Awa Odori?
Awa Odori has a history of about 400 years. It is held all over the country, including its home in Tokushima. Performing at Yugyo-no-Bon again this year are the Suzaku Ren, a member of the Koenji Awa Odori Ren Association, and the local Shonan Nagisa Ren from Fujisawa.

What is Morioka Sansa Odori?
As a summer festival representing Tohoku, it is held every year for four days from August 1st in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. The brave taiko parade, which achieved the world's highest simultaneous performance of Japanese taiko drums, and the supple and splendid dance colors the summer night sky. The traditional Sansa dance, which has been passed down in Morioka City and its surrounding areas, has different choreography and costumes depending on the region.

Future activity schedule

The 44th Fujisawa Citizen Festival is held! ~The big parade is a must-see! ～

Saturday, September 23rd: Around Fujisawa Station/Akibadai Park
Stage event/food stall village
September 24th (Sunday) Around Fujisawa Station/Yugyoji Temple Precincts
Fujisawa Station North and South Grand Parade, various stage events, professional wrestling performances, food stall village, etc.