 It is said that "amusement and foolishness are alike." I don't see this until I heard Niwakaren: "dancers are fools; lookers-on are fools! If both are fools, why not be dancing fools!"
Crazy dance
| When
we talking about Japan , many always think about Tokyo , Nangasaki or Hiroshima.
Today we will present you Tokushima , "The Land of Dancing" where there
are over 1,300,000 of tourists come to celebrate an Awa Odori Festival every
years . |
|
Awa
Odori is a traditional dancing of Japan that has
taken place more than 400 years ago in the summertime . It is part
of the Bon festivities, which are held to welcome the japanese spirit's
ancestor , who are believed to return to earth during this period
. Actually this celebration was called Bon odori , but renamed as
Awa Odori in 1966
This year , Awa
Odori will be held in August ( 06.00 pm. - 10.30 pm. ). Around the
city 's corners would be filled with numerous locals and overseas
audiences who come to see the show . Over 100,000 of dancers
( called "Ren" ) in Yukata sing a song "Niwakaren" while
dancing extremely gracefully through the streets .They shout "Ha!
Yatosa! Yatosa!" and "Eraiyatcha! Eraiyatcha! Yoi yoi yoi yoi!".
Some will also sing: "Odoru ahou ni miru ahou, onaji ahou nara odoranya
son son." This phrase can be translated in many ways, one of them
is:
|
|
"Dancers are fools; lookers-on are fools! If
both are fools, why not be dancing fools!" , "Dancers are fools; lookers-on
are fools! If both are fools, why not be dancing fools!". For
the dance men and women follow separate dance step , waving both arms
in the air to the rhythm of the music .
The parade is also
followed by Narimono , the musician who play the japanese traditional
musical instruments such as shamisen (a three-stringed musical instrument
similar to a guitar), taiko drums, and wooden flutes.
If you wish, you
can join the dance in the Moto-machi Square, Shin-machi Square,
Ryogoku Square, Ryokoku-bashi South Dancing Square, etc.
For someone
who miss the event, there is the Awa-odori Kaikan Hall
(founded in 1999 ) open for you to experience the Awa-odori throughout
the year. The Awa-odori show is regularly performed on the second
floor, and you can join the dance on the stage if you wish.
|
|
U&K
|
Sources
:
www.jnto.go.jp
http://yushu.or.jp
www.jtbgmt.com
www.arts.wa.gov
www.japanvisitor.com
http://ourtokushima.net
http://events.paperlantern.net
http://travelmax.statravel.co.uk |
|
