Postmark: Bungo Takada

[...] I spent the night dancing in a circle with about 1000 other people at the Bon Festival. Bon is a Buddhist festival for the souls of the dead–sort of like All Soul’s Day, I think. But there was not much religious presence at the bon odori [bon dance]. It’s basically an excuse to party.

One of the Japanese teachers of English, Mr. Tonai, has inlaws who live in Bungo Takada, which is renowned locally for its bon odori. [Note 2009: Tonai-sensei always referred to them as his wife's brother's family...so to me they will always be "Tonai-sensei's wife's brother's family. In English, however, they are the Hayashi family."]

Bungo Takada is about a 50-minute drive north of here through beautiful mountain countryside. The greenery reminded me of the area around Seattle but the character of the place is closer to that of the drive between Santa Fe and Taos. At any rate it was great to get out of town and be able to see things at a distance. After awhile, these little winding streets make one very claustrophobic.

[The Hayashis] have a huge house in the middle of the rice fields–so it was very quiet. They had prepared a feast for us.

At the Hayashi family’s house.

When the Japanese entertain, they go all out. They spare no expense. Whether someone is visiting us or we’re out with them, they are continually buying us little gifts–usually of food–and sometimes not so little. For example, the Japanese are crazy about French pastry and there are dozens of pastry shops around. It seems to be the one Western food they make that actually tastes like Western food. Anyway, they also buy this French-style gelatin that is expensive for Jello but comes beautifully wrapped. (Wrapping is a big deal here. If you get a present from a Japanese, don’t trash the wrapping! Not that I would anyway. I’ve always been a paper saver and the paper here is gorgeous.) They are keen on “coffee jelly”, basically coffee-flavored Jello. I actually like it and I’ve never cared much for Jello. Is this a European thing? [...]

After dinner, Mrs. Hayashi dressed me for the bon odori in a yukata (summer kimono), obi (sash), and geta (wooden sandals).

Then we went to the Bungo Takada town square. They had set up a stage festooned with lanterns, a taiko (large traditional Japanese drum), and some singers. About 1000 people, all dressed in yukata were dancing in long lines circling around the stage.

This wasn’t some free-for-all disco dance. Everyone was doing the same dance together. Every neighborhood and office in town had it’s own team. Basically it was a huge dance contest. The Hayashis talked JQS and me into joining their team.

Notice that the other women are wearing tabi, white “socks” with a toe for wearing with geta. At US size 7 1/2, my feet were too big so I had to go without–like the men.

I couldn’t figure out the dance at all but it was still a lot of fun. We danced for about two hours and in that time circled the stage only four times.

After dancing we came back to the house and ate and drank numerous liters of Kirin beer. They gave me my costume so some day I can show it off to you guys.