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September 21 Koyasan Okunoin Temple (video)On August 16th, I visited Mt. Koya in order to complete my Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. Okunoin Temple on Mt. Koya is the exact site where the body of Kobo Daishi was buried, and where he continues to rest in the state of Samadhi (eternal resting) inside the shrine of the temple. After delivering his last will at the age of 62, Kobo Daishi went into eternal meditation on March 21, 835 - as he predicted his last day on earth would be. Pilgrims who have completed the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage are required to make a benedictory report to the Daishi, thus marking the end of their journey. However, it is not uncommon for pilgrims to return to do the pilgrimage again. When asked, 'why do the pilgrimage so many times?' Most answer the same way, 'there is unlimited joy in the life of a Henro, because the Savior Odaishi-san (Kobo Daishi) is still alive here saving us, and with us on Shikoku Island.' Kobo Daishi is believed to be living at Okunoin Temple, tirelessly striving to give aid to all beings, offering hope for sacrifice.
"After I am no more,
My home is still on Mt. Koya.
While my mind will be eased in the Tusita Heaven,
I will check your devotional faith.
Without ceasing my appearance on earth,
Especially at the Sacred Places:
Where I was born... took esoteric discipline...
Attained enlightenment... and where I entered to the Samadhi"
-- Kobo Daishi September 20 Tokushima Awa Odori Festival 2007 (video)As I've written about numerous times in the past, from August 12-15 each year, Tokushima prefecture hosts the largest dance festival in Japan called the Awa Odori Festival. If you were ever planning on visiting Tokushima, there is absolutely no better time to visit then during these 4-days in the summer! As I do every year, I participated in the festival by dancing with a niwaka-ren (meaning a group that doesn't practice and just goes out and wings-it after a few Asahi beers). This year I danced with the Tokushima International Association (T.I.A.) group with some friends and students! Check out the video!
September 07 Yosakoi Festival in Kochi (video)On August 11th, I took a 3-hour train ride to Kochi City to check-out the Yosakoi Festival. Not too far from Tokushima, Kochi prefecture is home to another dance festival called the Yosakoi Festival. Unlike the Awa Odori Festival in Tokushima, Yosakoi has a relatively short history dating back to 1954. During the 1954 recession in Japan, the festival was proposed and promoted mainly on the initiative of the local Chamber of Commerce as a means of dispelling the gloom and encouraging the local people. Every year for four days from August 9-12, the Yosakoi Festival dancers swarm the city of Kochi. In the local dialect "Yosakoi!" means "Come on over tonight!" Each of the participating groups orchestrates their own dance performance at various places in the city's downtown commercial districts. The festival currently features roughly 15,000 dancers in about 130 groups.
Dance groups must follow two basic rules that state the participating teams must use the Yosakoi Naruko Odori Uta, or the dancing song, which is based on "Yosakoi Bushi," the traditional local folk tunes and that all the dancers must perform while holding clappers, which makes a sound similar to a castanet. Teams are free to wear whatever costumes they like and any style of dancing is allowed. In recent years, young people have begun incorporating other musical genres into their performances, including rock, hip-hop, samba, and reggae. This was a fun festival to watch and it was clear that all the dance groups had worked hard on their performances - however, when the Awa Odori dance festival is in your backyard, it's hard to appreciate the differences. The Awa Odori dance festival dates back over 500 years, where as the Yosakoi recently celebrated its 54th anniversary only. Also, there are many opportunities for spectators to try the basic movements of the Awa Odori dance with various dance groups. However, with no traditional dance style, Yosakoi is purely a spectator festival it appeared. Despite having to be compared to one of the largest dance festivals in all of Japan 3-hours away in Tokushima, the Yosakoi is definitely worth checking out! But bring some earplugs if you want to catch the action up close, because each group is led by an odd massive van that blast music at a deafening volume!
Note: Check out the video from my trip!
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