Himeshima-mura, Oita
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大分県姫島村フェリー広場
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14th and 15th of August
8月14日・15日
Fishery, Tourism, Commerce and Industry Division of Himeshima village
+81-978-87-2111
姫島村水産・観光商工課/0978-87-2111
"Bon" is an annual Buddhist event in summer and it is believed that souls of ancestors return to their home during this period.
“Bon Odori” is a dance festival held in this period and dedicated to the ancestors for their happiness in the neither world.
Himeshima Bon Odori is one of them, and it is said that it originated from “Nenbutsu Odori” of Kamakura period (12 to 14th century A.D.), which people danced while chanting an invocation to the Buddha.
Himeshima Bod Odori is divided into two groups: the traditional dance and the original dance. About 50 dances in all are performed in the site called “Bon tsubo” by dancers from various districts.
The examples of the traditional dance are “Aya Odori”, “Kitsune Odori”, “Sanmarudayu” and “Zeni Saiko” and they are designated as the intangible cultural property by Himeshima village.The most popular and charming one is “Kitsune (fox) Odori”, performed by children painted their face white and wearing a white cloth with a tail to disguise themselves as a fox.
“Aya Odori” is performed by a pair of a man and woman. A man dances intensely by beating with a bamboo stick while a woman dances gracefully. The wonderful contrast between men moving rapidly and women dancing slowly fascinates those who watch it.
Meanwhile, as for the original dance villagers of every districts perform their own humorous dances which they elaborately make every year. Generally speaking, in “Bon Odori” people perform a several dance together, but the Himeshima Bon Odori has a lot more varieties and people change their costume in each dance. The festival combines uniqueness and gracefulness.
鎌倉時代の念仏踊り(念仏を唱えながら踊るもの)から発展したと言われている。
姫島の盆踊りは「伝統踊り」と「創作踊り」にわけられ、合わせて50個ほどの踊りを「盆坪(ツボ)」と呼ばれる踊り会場に各地区の踊り子が出向いて踊る。
伝統踊りには「アヤ踊り」「キツネ踊り」「猿丸大夫(さるまんだゆう)」「銭太鼓(ぜにたいこ)」などがあり、これらは姫島村の無形文化財に指定されている。
特に人気なのが「キツネ踊り」で、子ども達が顔を真っ白に塗り、全身白づくめで尻に尾を垂らしキツネに扮し、提灯のついた傘を持って踊る、なんとも可愛らしい踊りである。
「アヤ踊り」は男女でペアになり、男性が竹を鳴らしながら激しく踊り、女性は優雅に舞う。ゆったりと動く女性の間を、荒々しく早い動きの男性がくるくると動き回り、全く別の踊りが交わる不思議な光景が面白い。
一方「創作踊り」は各地区が毎年工夫を凝らしたユーモラスな踊りを披露する。
通常の盆踊りは幾つかの踊りを皆で踊るのが一般的であるが、姫島の盆踊りは、踊りの種類も多く、衣装も踊りに合わせて全て異なる。ユニークさと華やかさ、風流さを兼ね揃えた祭りである。