The Festival and 7-5-3 day

ENTRY

2022.06.14

カテゴリー：ブログ

Hello everyone,

Did you check out the Yoshiwara Gion festival last weekend? It’s the first time that festival has been held since 2019. Like many festivals all over the world, it was cancelled due to covid. It was nice to see things getting back to normal. I remember the noise as I approached Yoshiwara. You can hear this festival before you see it. The noise of taiko drums, traditional flutes and bells is all around. The music comes from inside the “dashi”, which are large floats with children inside playing music. Each neighbourhood in Yoshiwara has their own float, and people from the area pull it around the streets. They even have their own neighbourhood festival uniform. The only difference I noticed this year was that there were less stalls selling food and souvenirs. You could still by food set up just outside the shops.

On Sunday I had my first experience of 7-5-3 day for my daughter. We went to a ceremony hall where she got dressed up in a big white dress, and later, a kimono. She was in hair and make up for a while to get prepared. Then we had a photo shoot in the ceremony area. After that, we went to Yonenomiya shrine for a blessing from the priest there. I remember we got married at that shrine 10 years ago. It’s amazing how time flies. My wife’s brother and sister came to visit from Yokohama so we all went out for a meal after. It reminds me of “first communion” in Ireland, which is a religious ceremony. It’s very similar, at about 8 years old children go to the church for a blessing, relatives give the child money and they go out for a meal after. Many countries have their own cultures and celebrations for children growing up. I’m really glad I got to see 7-5-3 first hand.

Alan

みなさん、こんにちは。

アランです。

先週は祇園祭に皆さん、行かれましたか？2019年ぶりの祇園祭開催となりました。

これまでコロナの影響で毎年、キャンセルになっていましたので、開催されてとてもうれしく思いました。

吉原商店街に近づくにつれて聞こえてくる太鼓と笛の音。

地区ごとの山車の中から、それぞれの地区のハッピを着た子供達が演奏が聞こえます。

例年との違いは、出店が少なかったことぐらいです。

日曜日は、私の娘の七五三でした。大きな白いドレスと、もう一着は着物をもってセレモニーホールへいきました。

娘はドレスアップして化粧をして写真をとってもらいました。その後、米の宮神社にお参りにいきお祝いの食事に出かけました。

米の宮神社で１０年前、私たちは結婚式をしました。時間が経つのは速いものです。日本のこの七五三は、アイルランドのfirst communionを思い出させます。アイルランドでは８歳のときに教会へ行き、親戚たちは祝儀をわたし、その後食事にでかけます。それぞれの国に子供の成長を祝う儀式があるのですね。よい七五三ができてよかったです