"Grown in a cradle of the rough waves
of Genkai Sea,
With a lullaby of storms of Matsura
Bay,
A genuine Karatsu boy I am!"
This is a song sung proudly by the
boys who
pull the festival floats around the
town
on the 3rd and 4th of November.
This Festival is called Karatsu Kunchi,
which
is so famous and popular all over Japan.
Half a million people visit Karatsu
during
these days and also on the 2nd of November,
when we have the Evening Parade.
Here is what Ms Margaret Price wrote
in her
famous book 'Classic Japanese Inns & Country Gateways':
Karatsu-ites living all over the country
will do anything to come home for the
Karatsu
Kunchi, the city's annual festival.
It is
a time when every household prepares
a feast
and opens its doors to everyone else
in a
spirit that is not unlike Christmas
in the
West. The Yoyokaku prepares a feast
, too,
and gathers all the inn's guests and
friends
into a candle-lit tatami room featuring
a
spectacular spread of festive dishes.
The
centerpiece is a huge fish called ara, a great delicacy which can run to several thousand dollars for a large
specimen. The inn also has a musicians come by and play flutes and drums,
after they have finished participating in the festival processions.
Well, we don't use candles anymore,
and the
boys have grown up and they are not
coming
to our place to play the flutes and
drums
any longer, but we still have the special
exhilaration around our Kunchi banquet
room.
The smell of the barrel of Sake, laughters
and clapping hands, friendly talks
and jokes.
And drinking and drinking!
When I hear the flutes and drums of
Kunchi,
I always remember an American girl
who used
to love Karatsu-Kunchi as much as the
city
people do. Her name was Elisabeth.
She kept
coming to Karatsu, not to see the Kunchi,
but to participate in Kunchi. Her enthusiasm
moved the men deeply and she was at
last
accepted as a member of Gofukumachi
float.
which is a really rare thing for a
female
and also for an foreigner
I have not heard from her for long
since
she went to Moscow or somewhere I don't
remember
exactly, so this year I tried to search
her
name on the internet. And I did find
it.
Here's her answer to my e-mail of asking
if she was the girl I used to know.
Dear Okochi-san,
Yes, I am the Elisabeth you used to know!
How wonderful to
hear
from you! The last news I had about
you and
elegant Yoyokaku was some years ago,
from
my parents.
Each year, as the
leaves
start to change color in the October
chill,
I think of how Okunchi is just around
the
corner and remember the wonderful years
when
I was able to travel your way each
November.
I often think of you and Den and of
the Shinozaki
family. Do you know -- how are they
doing?
My parents are well,
although
older, of course. We live just a few
blocks
away from them, which is a great treat
after
having lived far apart for so many
years.
I think you also have met my sister
Louisa.
She is fine, too, now living with her
husband
and two little daughters in Washington
D.C.
I don't know if
you would
have heard, but we now have three children
--all boys -- ages 9, 6 and 2. Naturally,
I think I would love to bring them
to Okunchi
someday. When my eldest was just 3
years
old, I imagined how thrilling he would
find
it to ride i n the Gofukumachi float, tucked under the
kabuto, crowding in with the other
little
ones. But time flies, and already he
could
no longer be considered for that cozy
ride.
He would have to do his part on the
pulling
end instead!
Please tell me how
life
is going for you. There have been many
changes
in Japan since we lived there, and
yet I
am sure that in many ways, it remains
the
same.
I hope this
finds
you and Den well and preparing for
a busy
holiday. My thoughts will be with you
all.
And yes, I
agree
-- how wonderful the world of the internet
is!
 |
| Mr. Shinozaki Elisabeth Harumi
Okochi, back in 198x |
Elisabeth, I hope you and your family
will
see this web-page, and I hope your
three
boys will know how much their Mom was
loved
by the people of Karatsu. We all miss
you.
You must come back to pull the Float
of Yoshitsune-no-Kabuto
again! |
|
To
see the pictures of all 14 floats of
Karatsu
Kunchi, please click here.
, |
|
