Local Festivals
Festivals excite and entertain people, don't they? I am looking forward to this weekend, for a festival is to be held in my town! It is called the Saioh-matsuri Festival and it is the biggest event of the year in Meiwa. Saioh is the Imperial princess who served the God of the Grand Shrine of Ise in ancient Japan of the Heian era. My town Meiwa, especially Saiku, has a long history related to the ancient Emperors of Japan. There are some excavations and a museum in Saiku. In the Saiku Historical Museum, you can see a lot of exhibitions and explore the culture of the ancient Saiku. So the Saioh and Saiku are very popular among us, and the Saioh-matsuri Festival is one of our pleasures.
Local festivals such as the Saioh-matsuri Festival, I think, have three good points.
First, they are, of course, enjoyable entertainments. At the Saioh-matsuri Festival people enjoy a beautiful parade, music, folk dance, and various performances. Also, many booths and stalls sell foods, sweets, and so on.
Secondly, local festivals unite people's hearts. As the Saioh-matsuri Festival is coming up, we can find advertisements and flags for it all over the town, and attention is paid to the big event by almost all local people. People share common feelings through a festival.
Thirdly, local festivals give you an opportunity to learn local culture. Any festival has native, unique characteristics, and most of them have come down to us through a long period of time and shaped local culture in the process. It is very important for us to learn the culture and customs of other times in our hometown. And a local festival might be a cue to do so.
Thus local festivals are of great significance. The Saioh-matsuri Festival also makes me feel my love for my hometown. Local festivals are the embodiments of love for one's home!
So, you are going to have a good time on this weekend, aren't you, Tomoko-san? That sounds good!
I don't know about your hometown, Saiku so much. Do Saiku and Saioh have any relationship? What did the imperial princess, Saioh do at that time, except for having served the God of the Grand Shrine of Ise?
Hi, Tomoko-san. I also think that local festivals are important for us. My hometown has no special festival through the rest of the year, but we have a big event in summer, Tezutu-hanabi, as I mentioned before.
Anyway, I didn't know much about the Saioh-matsuri Festival. I went to the Saiku Historical Museum once on a school trip, but I have never seen the festival. Do you join it every year? I would like to see it in the future.
Do you think the ancestors of the Emperor came from Korea?
Today I visited the Saioh-matsuri Festival, though only for a short time. There were crowds of people in the place. I enjoyed seeing a beautiful parade. A troop of people wearing traditional dress, that is, kimono, paraded through the street for about two hours. I visited the festival for the first time in two years, so I was really excited!
So, Masami-san. I don't go to the festival every year. But I want to visit it next year! Today I thought so strongly. Thank you for your comment.
Hiroko-san! Thanks for responding to my entry. With regard to the relation between the Saioh and Saiku, Saiku is the residence of the former Saioh. And the Saioh was sent to Ise three times a year. She spent the rest of her time in Saiku. But I'm terribly sorry that I don't know a lot about what she did in her daily life. I will try to learn more about it!
And Charlie, Thank you for your comment. Umm... It's a difficult qustion, isn't it? But I think the ancestors of the Emperor of Japan came from Korea or China, because no noubt the cultures and customes of Japan were influenced by those countries. But different countries create different cultures. The culture of Saiku is also original and unique. I like such a home!
Rudolf :: June 5, 2003 08:58 PM
This reminds me: Jazmin posted a few pictures of Tsu Festival last year.
Enjoy your weekend, Tomoko-san!