For the last three days Nagasaki has been en fete, celebrating the O Suwa matsuri. Practically all work has been suspended and the people have been out to enjoy themselves in which they appear to have been successful. The weather conditions have been ideal throughout, although towards noon on the opening day, old Sol came out strong, a fact which made the donning of heavier clothes somewhat of a regrettible incident.
O-Suwa-Jisha
The theme of the matsuri is the celebration of the annual airing taken by O Suwa Sama, who on this day leaves his shrine and journeys to Chata, resting there for two days and receiving the homage of his devotees, after which he is escorted back home, where he remains for another year.
Originally the Saint resided at Shimabara but, becoming dissatisfied with the locality, made the trip to Nagasaki in one jump over the intervening mountain; landing at Chata, which is the reason for his annual visitation of the place. O Suwa's progress through the streets, - which are decorated for the occasion, the humblest house hanging out the national flag, paper lanterns and a coloured streamer or two - follows upon the conclusion of a series of odori (dances) and exhibitions of a more-or-less religious character.
These dances, in which rich and rare silks, brocades and exquisite embroideries are exhibited, are given on the stones at the head of the first long flight of steps leading to the O Suwa shrine. Each machi of the eleven which exhibit every year, vies with its competitors in the elaborate or costly nature of its display, the residents of the machi in question contributing money and kind towards their representative delegation.
On these three days the Geisha are out in full force, their ranks being called upon to ensure the success of each display. All the musical and most of the instrumental portion of the proceedings are in their hands while those who neither sing nor play some instrument, stand around and look pretty in their rich and costly dresses - an art in which they are invariably eminently successful.
As the proceedings at the shrine commence shortly after daybreak, an early start has to be made by the would-be sightseer if he desires to gain access to his reserved seat on the “grand stand.” Within half an hour after sunrise, the stands are packed a la sardine, the sole remaining method of access to one's vacant lot being over the heads of the earlier arrivals who, although in a thoroughly festive mood, would certainly object to this means of progress - the ladies with such elaborate coiffures, in particular.
On the first day the order of the proceedings was as follows ;—
A huge, umbrella-like structure (kasaboko) the heavy, central carrying pole borne upright, across the shoulder of a sturdy representative of the exhibiting machi, advanced slowly towards the foot of the upper flight of stone steps. Obeisance was made to the shrine far above, after which, “good joss” was secured for the machi by people in the vicinity throwing salt over the kasaboko.
Retreating a few paces, the bearer circles round and round, finishing a giddy whirl, the heavy structure making the keeping of a sure footing a matter of extreme difficulty. His dexterity receives the plaudits of the crowd, who invariably demand repeated encores, which are always accorded, after which the kasaboko remains at the rear during the ensuing odori, at the completion of which, it heads the procession of the performers, attendants etc., down the steps to the street below, where it proceeds towards Chata to await the coming of O Suwa Sama.
A spirit of hilarity and devil-may-care seemed prevalent among the youthful occupants of the free seats - the upper flight of stone steps, in particular - who had evidently come out for a good time and intended to have it. Many were the good humoured vocal liberties or criticisms, taken or passed upon the exhibitors, some of the sallies creating much amusement and laughter. For example; Custom forbids the opening of an umbrella or sunshade, be the Sun however so hot or his beams so dazzling and the fair one ever so desirous of the preservation of her complexion. Whoever opens and raises aloft her “brolly” is at once greeted with cries of “Sa! Sa! kasa ! (Look, look, umbrella,) an embarrassing fact which leads to the prompt furling of the “brolly.”
Again with regard to the geisha. Most of these ladies are wearing extremely rich and costly kimonos, however, at the outset of their performance, at the least indication of the spreading of a mat, or other protection, whereon they may sit and so save their silks from contact with the bare stones, a roar goes up, “Take away, take away !” and willy-nilly, Miss Geisha resigns herself to sitting upon the cold, hard stones and the possibility of soiling her gown. It is only once a year and it is all in a good cause.
Maruyama Machi, the Local YMCA
After the presentation and whirl of the kasaboko, a dance, with songs and theatrical displays are given, the plays produced generally dealing with some semi-religio-mythologic subject, the details of which are well known to the spectators, they being founded upon ancient Japanese legend.
On this occasion eleven machi exhibited, this being the number represented every year, none of which, with the exception of Maruyama-Yoriyaimachi, the districts wherein the Y.M.C.A. is so strongly represented, will appear next year, their places being taken by exhibitions from another ten machi. The regular, annual appearance at, and the precedence held by this M.-Y. district, is due to the interesting fact that it was the residents thereof who were the first to recognise the saintly attributes of O Suwa Sama on his arrival from Shimabara.
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