This year’s official Hachioji festival was cancelled due to the M9 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.
However Hachioji’s residents didn’t want to cancel this historic festival, so they decided to carry out the event as a number of smaller festivals organised by the local areas within Hachioji city.
The Hachioji festival was originally held in the Kami and Shimo areas as two separate events until 50 years ago when these festivals were united into one big festival which subsequently became a tourist attraction.
Nevertheless due to the serious impact of the M9 Tohoku Earthquake, Hachioji’s City Office decided to cancel this year’s festival out of respect for the victims and also to conserve energy.
My geisha mother said to us at our meeting that she wanted to perform at the 2011 Festival as usual.
As I had described in my previous article, the Hachioji Festival is held on the first Friday in August and runs for 3 days.
However this year’s festival will be held earlier than usual from July 22-24.
The first day of the festival, on the Friday, is called "Yoimiya (宵宮)", which is where the geisha dance on a small open-air stage as part of the festival. On Yoimiya day, everyone can enjoy an authentic geisha performance free-of-charge.
On the Saturday and Sunday, many floats parade throughout the central area of Hachioji city. The geisha play the shamisen, drums and flute on one of the floats.
This year, however, floats will not be permitted to parade along the wide public roads.
At our meeting we decided to perform more songs than usual on “Yoimiya” day, because the Hachioji City Office are not going to promote the Festival as usual, which means people will not know about our performance. We thought that if we perform for a longer time, passers‐by might stop to watch us.
In addition one geisha sister created a simple poster in order to promote “Yoimiya” day, and my geisha mother asked some local shops to display the poster on their walls.
We contacted all of our customers about our performance.
Regarding the second and third days, my geisha mother said that she wanted us to perform on the float without her as she wanted to dance in front of our float because it would be crowded on the float. When I heard her suggestion, I was really surprised.
In addition my geisha mother said that she wanted to add some new songs for the second and third day of this year’s festival.
I realized that we have to improve our performance each year.
Unfortunately, we don’t receive a performance fee at the Hachioji Festival, nevertheless we all perform very earnestly.
After our meeting, my geisha mother wanted to have a group practice session.
She said to me that I have to dance with my geisha sisters. I got tense because it was my first time to dance with other geisha sisters in front all of the geisha.
I could feel my geisha mother’s affection which helped me. My geisha mother gave me a private lesson especially for that song several days ago.
I remember last year’s Hachioji Festival clearly. I hope to improve my performance on last year.
2011年5月29日日曜日
2011年5月18日水曜日
“Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)” - Mt.Takao’s annual prayer ceremony
On May 11th the “Hachi-ryu-ko(八隆講)” was held on Mt.Takao.
Mt.Takao is located in Hachioji city, so Hachioji’s geisha have a strong connection to Mt.Takao.
The famous temple, Takao-san Yakuo-in (高尾山薬王院), is located at the top of Mt.Takao, and “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)” is the annual prayer ceremony held at that temple.
It was my first time to participate in “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)”.
Without knowing much about “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)”, I just signed my name on the application form and paid the 8,000 yen registration fee to my geisha mother.
On the actual day, we gathered at the Kenban (見番-the geisha office) at 11am, and we discussed our performances for the Hachioji festival which will be held in July.
At around noon we departed for Mt.Takao in my geisha mother’s car.
Around 30 minutes later we arrived at the foot of Mt.Takao.
Unfortunately on that day it was rainy so I was concerned about my kimono.
We could use the cable car from the foot of Mt.Takao to part of the way up the mountain. We would have to walk the rest of the way to the temple.
The cable car is famous for being steepest in Japan.
We met some of our customers at the cable car stop.
When we arrived at the temple, many people were already waiting in some large tatami rooms.
There we met some more of our customers who owned restaurants around Mt.Takao.
I could see how “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)” was important for people who did business near Mt.Takao.
Several minutes later we all moved to the main temple together.
It was a very religious scene.
Over 100 people were sitting upright quietly in the room where incense was burning.
The sound of the rain suited the solemnity of the event.
Some Buddhist priests came into the room and they started praying.
Since Takao-san Yakuo-in (高尾山薬王院) is famous as a Shugendō temple, when the Buddhist priests made their way into the temple they were playing ホラ貝, which is a large shell used as an instrument like a horn.
The praying continued for about 1 hour, so I got pins and needles in my legs.
After the praying we made a money offering.
When I saw my favorite geisha sister, whose hometown is in Kesennuma which is one of the disaster areas, I was surprised, because she started crying.
I thought that she must have been thinking about the victims of the M9 Tohoku earthquake including her family who are still at a shelter.
I gave her a hug on the way to the big tatami room where our lunch had been prepared.
Another geisha sister said to me that the lunch is one of highlights of “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)” .
Indeed lunch looked very delicious, and all dishes were vegetarian in the style of “Shojin Ryori” (精進料理-vegetarian food eaten by monks at temples in Japan).
We really enjoyed lunch.
After lunch, my geisha mother bought the local special Manju (饅頭-a traditional and popular Japanese sweet), which she gave to us, her geisha children, and we ate them in her car on the way back to our Okiya, geisha house.
I really enjoyed “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)”, so I definitely want to participate in that event again next year.
Mt.Takao is located in Hachioji city, so Hachioji’s geisha have a strong connection to Mt.Takao.
The famous temple, Takao-san Yakuo-in (高尾山薬王院), is located at the top of Mt.Takao, and “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)” is the annual prayer ceremony held at that temple.
It was my first time to participate in “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)”.
Without knowing much about “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)”, I just signed my name on the application form and paid the 8,000 yen registration fee to my geisha mother.
On the actual day, we gathered at the Kenban (見番-the geisha office) at 11am, and we discussed our performances for the Hachioji festival which will be held in July.
At around noon we departed for Mt.Takao in my geisha mother’s car.
Around 30 minutes later we arrived at the foot of Mt.Takao.
Unfortunately on that day it was rainy so I was concerned about my kimono.
We could use the cable car from the foot of Mt.Takao to part of the way up the mountain. We would have to walk the rest of the way to the temple.
The cable car is famous for being steepest in Japan.
We met some of our customers at the cable car stop.
When we arrived at the temple, many people were already waiting in some large tatami rooms.
There we met some more of our customers who owned restaurants around Mt.Takao.
I could see how “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)” was important for people who did business near Mt.Takao.
Several minutes later we all moved to the main temple together.
It was a very religious scene.
Over 100 people were sitting upright quietly in the room where incense was burning.
The sound of the rain suited the solemnity of the event.
Some Buddhist priests came into the room and they started praying.
Since Takao-san Yakuo-in (高尾山薬王院) is famous as a Shugendō temple, when the Buddhist priests made their way into the temple they were playing ホラ貝, which is a large shell used as an instrument like a horn.
The praying continued for about 1 hour, so I got pins and needles in my legs.
After the praying we made a money offering.
When I saw my favorite geisha sister, whose hometown is in Kesennuma which is one of the disaster areas, I was surprised, because she started crying.
I thought that she must have been thinking about the victims of the M9 Tohoku earthquake including her family who are still at a shelter.
I gave her a hug on the way to the big tatami room where our lunch had been prepared.
Another geisha sister said to me that the lunch is one of highlights of “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)” .
Indeed lunch looked very delicious, and all dishes were vegetarian in the style of “Shojin Ryori” (精進料理-vegetarian food eaten by monks at temples in Japan).
We really enjoyed lunch.
After lunch, my geisha mother bought the local special Manju (饅頭-a traditional and popular Japanese sweet), which she gave to us, her geisha children, and we ate them in her car on the way back to our Okiya, geisha house.
I really enjoyed “Hachi-ryu-ko (八隆講)”, so I definitely want to participate in that event again next year.
2011年5月17日火曜日
My geisha family went to Kamaishi in order to help that city’s last remaining geisha.
About one month ago, we read a newspaper article about Kamaishi city’s last geisha who had suffered in the M9 Tohoku earthquake.
* At Age 84, a City’s Last Geisha Defies Time and a 4th Tsunami - The New York Times
According to the article, she lost all of her kimonos and her shamisen, belongings which she had really cherished.
My geisha mother quickly made a plan for some of us to go to Kamaishi to help her.
Before going we purchased some necessary kimono items.
Furthermore, we made some Nagauta* tapes for her from our own Nagauta CDs, because Kamaishi’s last geisha is an expert Nagauta performer.
* Nagauta is one genre of traditional Japanese songs, which geisha generally must learn.
Everyday we made Nagauta tapes for her while we were preparing for the ozashiki parties at our Okiya, geisha house.
My geisha mother asked me to learn Kamaishi-hamauta (釜石浜唄), which is a famous folk song in Kamaishi, from my shamisen teacher so that she could practice the song.
My geisha mother thought that if she could sing that song with Kamaishi’s last geisha, it might inspire her and Kamaishi’s local people.
I quickly emailed my shamisen teacher and he readily agreed.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t go to Kamaishi with my geisha family, because I had already planned to go back to my hometown at the same time.
However I wished them a safe journey.
On the day my geisha family visited Kamaishi, one famous TV program reported about them so I was able to know what happened.
My geisha mother gave one of her shamisens to Kamaishi’s last geisha and they sang Kamaishi-hamauta.
Such kind of local songs are important for the whole community, not only for the geisha.
I was very happy to see it on TV.
After they visited Kamaishi, they moved to Kesennuma, which is my favourite geisha sister’s hometown.
As I had written in my previous article, she had lost her cherished hometown.
Her saving grace was that her parents and brother had survived.
Nevertheless she said to me that she was still afraid to go back to her hometown.
Her parents also said to her that she shouldn’t come back.
I love my hometown and my family, so I could understand why she was afraid.
On the day they had visited Kesennuma I received an email from my geisha mother about her experience in the town.
Several days later, my geisha family and I all received an email from our geisha sister who had remained her hometown.
When I read her email, I was very shocked.
In her email she gave a graphic description of the condition of her family and the shelter where they were staying.
I could understand her confusion and pain. Several days later I talked to her on the phone.
I want to write about what she had told me, however it’s very difficult to describe everything she said in sufficient detail.
I just want to say that it’s very difficult to for the relief organizations to supply things which the refugees really need, because in such shelters they have developed small communities and the refugees seldom express their true needs.
She said to me that the real situation is very different from the news.
I’m thinking about what I should and can do.
* At Age 84, a City’s Last Geisha Defies Time and a 4th Tsunami - The New York Times
According to the article, she lost all of her kimonos and her shamisen, belongings which she had really cherished.
My geisha mother quickly made a plan for some of us to go to Kamaishi to help her.
Before going we purchased some necessary kimono items.
Furthermore, we made some Nagauta* tapes for her from our own Nagauta CDs, because Kamaishi’s last geisha is an expert Nagauta performer.
* Nagauta is one genre of traditional Japanese songs, which geisha generally must learn.
Everyday we made Nagauta tapes for her while we were preparing for the ozashiki parties at our Okiya, geisha house.
My geisha mother asked me to learn Kamaishi-hamauta (釜石浜唄), which is a famous folk song in Kamaishi, from my shamisen teacher so that she could practice the song.
My geisha mother thought that if she could sing that song with Kamaishi’s last geisha, it might inspire her and Kamaishi’s local people.
I quickly emailed my shamisen teacher and he readily agreed.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t go to Kamaishi with my geisha family, because I had already planned to go back to my hometown at the same time.
However I wished them a safe journey.
On the day my geisha family visited Kamaishi, one famous TV program reported about them so I was able to know what happened.
My geisha mother gave one of her shamisens to Kamaishi’s last geisha and they sang Kamaishi-hamauta.
Such kind of local songs are important for the whole community, not only for the geisha.
I was very happy to see it on TV.
After they visited Kamaishi, they moved to Kesennuma, which is my favourite geisha sister’s hometown.
As I had written in my previous article, she had lost her cherished hometown.
Her saving grace was that her parents and brother had survived.
Nevertheless she said to me that she was still afraid to go back to her hometown.
Her parents also said to her that she shouldn’t come back.
I love my hometown and my family, so I could understand why she was afraid.
On the day they had visited Kesennuma I received an email from my geisha mother about her experience in the town.
Several days later, my geisha family and I all received an email from our geisha sister who had remained her hometown.
When I read her email, I was very shocked.
In her email she gave a graphic description of the condition of her family and the shelter where they were staying.
I could understand her confusion and pain. Several days later I talked to her on the phone.
I want to write about what she had told me, however it’s very difficult to describe everything she said in sufficient detail.
I just want to say that it’s very difficult to for the relief organizations to supply things which the refugees really need, because in such shelters they have developed small communities and the refugees seldom express their true needs.
She said to me that the real situation is very different from the news.
I’m thinking about what I should and can do.
2011年5月2日月曜日
My regular customer, Mr X, came to Hachioji with his family.
The customer, Mr X,who had organised my 1st anniversary celebration as a geisha came to Hachioji again with his wife, daughter, her husband and their son (who is only 6 years old).
When most of the ozashiki parties were cancelled due to the M9 Tohoku earthquake, I sent an email to him to seek his help. He did his best to live up to my expectation and sent emails to his friends in a bid to organize an ozashiki party, however in the end he gave up.
He said to me that his friends had replied saying that it’s inappropriate to hold an party when many people had died and were still suffering from the earthquake and tsunami.
Essentially, many events were cancelled throughout Japan to mourn the victims of the M9 Tohoku earthquake.
So Mr X invited his family to an ozashiki party.
I knew that he sometimes talks to his family about me.
At first he asked me about my schedule and whether the traditional Japanese restaurant, which is our regular restaurant, would be open in Golden Week.
In addition, he asked me whether I could eat dinner with them, because his wife and daughter wanted us to enjoy dinner together.
Such a request is very unusual, so I confirmed with my geisha mother whether I could have dinner with them. She said we could have an ozashiki party however she wouldn’t give her permission for me to eat dinner with them.
She said to me that it’s very difficult to entertain them while I’m eating.
I agreed with her thinking, so I expressed our decision to Mr X.
Finally the actual day came.
He called me to ask whether we could start the party earlier than planned. I quickly confirmed with the restaurant if it was possible and replied to him that it would be no problem.
To tell the truth, on that day I had a fever, so before the ozashiki party I went to the hospital and got an injection in order to lower my temperature.
When I talked about my condition with my geisha mother, she asked whether I would cancel that ozashiki party. I said I didn’t want to, because I knew Mr X and his family had made a special appointment to see me.
Fortunately, the medicine too effect, so my temperature went down.
They arrived at the restaurant a bit earlier than the reserved time. The restaurant’s staff asked them whether they were ready for me to enter their room, and I opened the fusuma, the Japanese sliding screen.
They watched me with big smiles on their faces, so my nervousness disappeared.
At first I greeted the youngest member and asked his name. The 6-year-old boy answered my question and he also introduced the other members of his family to me. He was very polite. His parents and grandmother also looked very polite and kind.
We quickly entered into a pleasant conversation.
The 6-year-old boy suddenly whispered something in my ear. He said to me that the dinner was very delicious and he wanted to come again.
How cute, I thought!
I told everyone what he had whispered and they all laughed.
After we enjoyed more talking the boy said to me that he wanted to teach me an English dance which he had learned at his kindergarten.
He taught me the dance by drawing some pictures. When I saw the pictures which he drew I was very surprised, because they were easy to understand.
I decided to perform his English dance first. Everyone looked very happy and his parents took many photos.
He was inspired by drawing the pictures to show me the dance and he continued to draw many insects and flowers which he gave to me.
It was the first time for his family to see him draw many pictures in earnest.
So they were surprised.
It was also surprising for me, because he really captured the essence of the insects and flowers.
He also drew my portrait which he also gave to me. I was very glad.
On top of that made a sketch of the party room on his last piece of paper.
I was really surprised at his creativity and his ability to concentrate.
In the middle of the ozashiki party, I played 2 songs on the shamisen, and explained about the shamisen a bit.
Since the daughter had learned the piano for a long time and my geisha mother was in the next room, I got tense. Nevertheless I played well.
Mr X’s wife gave me a gift. When I opened the small box, I felt very happy.
In the box there was a cute mirror and a lipstick brush.
We all felt that the 2 hours went very quickly.
As soon as that ozashiki party finished, I was called to another party in the same restaurant which was attended by a customer who I made met a couple of times previously.
My body temperature increased again after the 2 parties, however I felt very happy.
Mr X sent me an email to express his gratitude for the party.
It was a very special ozashiki party as it made me feel so happy to be a geisha more any previous ozashiki parties.
When most of the ozashiki parties were cancelled due to the M9 Tohoku earthquake, I sent an email to him to seek his help. He did his best to live up to my expectation and sent emails to his friends in a bid to organize an ozashiki party, however in the end he gave up.
He said to me that his friends had replied saying that it’s inappropriate to hold an party when many people had died and were still suffering from the earthquake and tsunami.
Essentially, many events were cancelled throughout Japan to mourn the victims of the M9 Tohoku earthquake.
So Mr X invited his family to an ozashiki party.
I knew that he sometimes talks to his family about me.
At first he asked me about my schedule and whether the traditional Japanese restaurant, which is our regular restaurant, would be open in Golden Week.
In addition, he asked me whether I could eat dinner with them, because his wife and daughter wanted us to enjoy dinner together.
Such a request is very unusual, so I confirmed with my geisha mother whether I could have dinner with them. She said we could have an ozashiki party however she wouldn’t give her permission for me to eat dinner with them.
She said to me that it’s very difficult to entertain them while I’m eating.
I agreed with her thinking, so I expressed our decision to Mr X.
Finally the actual day came.
He called me to ask whether we could start the party earlier than planned. I quickly confirmed with the restaurant if it was possible and replied to him that it would be no problem.
To tell the truth, on that day I had a fever, so before the ozashiki party I went to the hospital and got an injection in order to lower my temperature.
When I talked about my condition with my geisha mother, she asked whether I would cancel that ozashiki party. I said I didn’t want to, because I knew Mr X and his family had made a special appointment to see me.
Fortunately, the medicine too effect, so my temperature went down.
They arrived at the restaurant a bit earlier than the reserved time. The restaurant’s staff asked them whether they were ready for me to enter their room, and I opened the fusuma, the Japanese sliding screen.
They watched me with big smiles on their faces, so my nervousness disappeared.
At first I greeted the youngest member and asked his name. The 6-year-old boy answered my question and he also introduced the other members of his family to me. He was very polite. His parents and grandmother also looked very polite and kind.
We quickly entered into a pleasant conversation.
The 6-year-old boy suddenly whispered something in my ear. He said to me that the dinner was very delicious and he wanted to come again.
How cute, I thought!
I told everyone what he had whispered and they all laughed.
After we enjoyed more talking the boy said to me that he wanted to teach me an English dance which he had learned at his kindergarten.
He taught me the dance by drawing some pictures. When I saw the pictures which he drew I was very surprised, because they were easy to understand.
I decided to perform his English dance first. Everyone looked very happy and his parents took many photos.
He was inspired by drawing the pictures to show me the dance and he continued to draw many insects and flowers which he gave to me.
It was the first time for his family to see him draw many pictures in earnest.
So they were surprised.
It was also surprising for me, because he really captured the essence of the insects and flowers.
He also drew my portrait which he also gave to me. I was very glad.
On top of that made a sketch of the party room on his last piece of paper.
I was really surprised at his creativity and his ability to concentrate.
In the middle of the ozashiki party, I played 2 songs on the shamisen, and explained about the shamisen a bit.
Since the daughter had learned the piano for a long time and my geisha mother was in the next room, I got tense. Nevertheless I played well.
Mr X’s wife gave me a gift. When I opened the small box, I felt very happy.
In the box there was a cute mirror and a lipstick brush.
We all felt that the 2 hours went very quickly.
As soon as that ozashiki party finished, I was called to another party in the same restaurant which was attended by a customer who I made met a couple of times previously.
My body temperature increased again after the 2 parties, however I felt very happy.
Mr X sent me an email to express his gratitude for the party.
It was a very special ozashiki party as it made me feel so happy to be a geisha more any previous ozashiki parties.
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