[People who challenge] Interview with Katsuaki Sato, a man active in three fields: agriculture, Yoshiwara Kagura, and town planning

■ Face part②: Katsuaki Sato of "Yoshiwara Kagura"

 

▼ What is Yoshiwara Kagura?
A traditional performing art that was designated as a country-selected intangible folk cultural property in 51. It came from the Bungo region in the late Edo era, and once ceased, resumed its activities as "Yoshiwara Riraku Renchu" in 27. Since then, the “Yoshiwara Kagura Preservation Society” has been held for more than 120 years due to the efforts of local residents.
At the Yoshiwara Shrine Grand Festival held every year on September 20 at Yoshiwara Shrine (Minamioguni-machi), we donate kagura in the hope of good harvest and the security of the village. In recent years, the PR of Yoshiwara Kagura has been active, such as performing kagura at events inside and outside the town.

-In the World Agricultural Heritage, the preservation of traditional culture passed down with living was also highly evaluated. "Yoshiwara Kagura" has been handed down since ancient times. Did you come from an early age, too?

Yes Yes. In my case, I came here or lived there (Yoshiwara), so when I noticed it, I felt like I had been done since I was a child. Lol
Originally, there was a rule that only the eldest son of the Yoshiwara area could do it, but when we were children, the number of people was running short and our younger brothers were mixed.

-Do you remember how you practiced when you were young?

I remember. At that time, all the elderly people were very active and went to Thailand (for performances) or were designated as a country-selected intangible folk cultural property.
There were so many teachers and everyone was strict.
I'm glad to teach me seriously, but I didn't know who to study with because my teacher told me a little bit differently. Lol
I was crying because I was too unreasonable.
He said, "I just said (beyond) I said I did it ..." Lol

-Still, you worked hard without laughing (laughs). How was your return after making a U-turn?

Since I was a child, I had been doing the basics all the time, so when I started practicing, I felt like I was moving myself.
However, I thought that the number of people had diminished and that it was not lively.
Regardless of whether it is family farming, kagura, or the local community, I don't want to be ruined by what I'm involved in, so I wanted to make it more fulfilling.

-So what action did you take?

Anyway, I wanted to send it to various places to increase the number of people. So, when I was called to the town planning meeting, I proposed to do something about Kagura, and launched information on the website and Facebook. As we worked on it variously, various collaborators, such as government officials, school teachers, and people from different districts, began to appear and participated in the Yoshiwara Kagura Preservation Society.

― Every local ritual is not something you would normally send out of the district.

Nothing will last without people. I thought it was the limit that only people here could do.
At that time, just in Minamioguni-machi, there was a review of the "most beautiful village in Japan", and when it was about introducing local traditional culture, dancing Kagura and performing local cuisine, everyone, including the chairman of the review committee, was impressed. He gave me
I think Kagura itself remains in other areas, but the fact that the "life" itself, which has been handed down in this village for generations, and the "culture" of kagura have been handed down as a set, which led to its evaluation.

-Again, being evaluated by the eyes of a third party once again triggered me to notice the splendor.

When I was telling that feeling to various people both inside and outside of the area, many people who sympathized came out, and those people expanded further with various expressions.

-In 2015, an expedition to the Milan Expo. In addition, a project by creators and local residents in Tokyo has started, and it has jumped out of the area at once, such as the birth of a video work "KUROKAWA WONDERLAND" based on Yoshiwara Kagura.

▼ Click here for KUROKAWA WONDERLAND website.
https://kurokawawonderland.jp

(Going to Milan or creating a video) is not something you can do for yourself.
Talking to various people, they sympathized with each other, and by sending out each other, the connection came out, and when I noticed, the talk proceeded.
Thanks to the people around me, everything was connected to nature.
Even now, I cannot thank them.

-Now, about half of the members are outside the Yoshiwara area. In addition to the efforts of the people in the district, the cooperation of various people outside the district protects “Yoshiwara Kagura”.

Both the people inside and others want to keep tradition and want to do it.
Not only Kagura but also those who cooperate in the preparation and opening of the festival, those who come to see, and all of them are all enjoying themselves.
There are people who think "good", and I think this form of continuing nature (cultural tradition) is very good.

-Do you want to continue until you become a grandpa?

I don't hate doing it, but when I'm older, I want to say, "I'm still doing it" (see the performances of the juniors), while I'm doing kagura, baking takoyaki at a bar. Lol
I don't think I'll have to survive, and it's ideal that everyone inside and outside can understand and go in the same direction.
It would be nice if everyone could cooperate and participate as much as possible and create a system where they could enjoy themselves.

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