Sketch of the Bon Festival in Kamuro in 2024.
The Bon festival at my home begins with the Tanagyō sutra on the 13th and ends with the Nagarekancho on the 16th.
For the Tanakyo ceremony, the priest goes around chanting sutras for the Shoryo-sama that have been displayed under the eaves, and for the Nagarekancho ceremony, the items displaying the Shoryo-sama are placed on a small boat decorated with stupas and sent off.
In preparation for O-bon, on the 12th I pray at the Buddhist altar at my wife's parents' house, buys groceries, and returns to the island. I prepare Shoryo-sama and decorate the area around the Buddhist altar in O-bon style and prepares for the 13th.
On the 13th, after the sutra reading, I visited the graves. After visiting the graves of my ancestors and classmates and going down the stairs, I heard the sound of sutra reading coming from the old post office. It feels like a different era when I remember that it was said that "the island sinks during O-bon." Due to the Nankai Trough danger warning, typhoons, and the heat, few people are returning home... I went for a walk in the evening. Mr. E and his family from the "Kansai Kamuro Club" were pitching a tent at the boat dock in front of their house and were talking. It crossed my mind that this is the original scene of O-bon in Kamuro. We exchanged a few words and then parted ways. I was a little happy when we talked about the "Kamuro Diary."
The morning of the 14th in Kamuro started early. As soon as the bell rang at 6 o'clock, an announcement was made about setting up the venue. I left home immediately after and arrived at the venue, where several people had already started working. Each person worked in their own way, and after about two hours, the venue was finally in shape. We thanked each other for their efforts over beer and juice, and chatted. For someone like me who returns to the island occasionally, this was a valuable opportunity to get information.
We head to the venue at 8pm when the dancing starts.
This year was completely different from last year. The "Oshima Ondo" was more lively than the "Kamuro Ondo". Perhaps this is also a sign of the times... After dancing to the "Kamuro Ondo" several times, I left the venue.
On the 15th, my family returned to the island to visit the graves, and we had lunch together and then visited the graves at my wife's family home... I took out a book of whiskey with some prosciutto and grapes as snacks, and started drinking while looking out at the sea. The book was President's "Why live when we're all going to die anyway?", a dialogue between Yoro Takeshi and Nagoshi Yasufumi. Looking out at the sea, I saw what seemed to be a pleasure boat fishing, letting the tide take over. It reminded me of the old days. I went fishing in this sea with my wife and my sister's child. The gizami-fish were biting like crazy, so all I had to do was take off the fish for the two of them, put on bait, and throw them back into the sea. It was a beautiful fish, but the sea must have changed now.
I went for a walk in the evening again today. There were fewer cars around, probably because some people had left the islands due to the effects of Typhoon No. 7. I met some people I hadn't seen in a while, so we had a short conversation and parted ways.
At night, I take out an old photo album and reminisce about the photos of people masquerading up for the Bon Festival half a century ago. Not surprisingly, everyone looks good since they are over 20 years old. The women are bursting with beauty. There was a time like this. Some have passed away, and some have been swept away by the flow of the times and cannot be contacted, but everyone must have struggled to survive despite struggling with the flow of the times... I drink a little too much. I fall asleep listening to "Kamuro Ondo" in the distance.
Just after 5:30, the Shoryo-sama are sent down and the decorations are wrapped in newspaper and placed on the Nagarekancho. While waiting for the priest to arrive, people visit the graves. A farewell ceremony is held to mark the end of O-bon. Sutras begin at 6:20 and people see off the boats as they depart. After returning home, people put away the lanterns and the inner linings, returning the house to its usual state. It was a hot five days.
Two-thirds of the year is already over. I guess my next return will be around Higan... I leave the island just before 9 o'clock.
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