|
KANSAI'S WILDEST PARTY
Attending the Sagi-cho Festival in Shiga Prefecture
KANSAI TIME OUT
- MARCH 2001
 |
| The burning of the floats marks the end of a weekend of riotous behaviour |
The chanting ceased the instant the man's head hit the concrete. In the eerie silence that followed, his friend stooped over the motionless body. He was surveying the damage, but the dyed red hair made it impossible to tell if the man was bleeding. A few interminable moments passed. Was he dead? "Sake!!" called the self-proclaimed doctor. A fresh carton quickly arrived and was immediately put to use. As the first drops splashed onto the victim's face, he suddenly reared upright and seized the liquid. In evident relief, the chant erupted once more.
"Mase, mase! Yare, yare!"
The injured man was invigorated by the rhythm. He raised the carton to his lips and in a matter of seconds the whole litre was warming his stomach. Empowered by the alcohol, he rose unsteadily to his feet. He slipped his shoulder under the wooden beam and began to carry with the others. The heavily decorated cedar float moved off.
Sixty drunken legs struggled to control its course, but their efforts were in vain. Knees buckled as it careered from side to side, miraculously gaining momentum despite several violent collisions with unfortunate buildings. The unceasing chant alerted spectators to its approach, and they scattered into adjacent alleyways, fearful for their safety. As they looked on, the first of many Sagi-cho floats lurched past, weaving its way through Omi Hachiman's old town.
 |
| Wrecking the
floats |
The Sagi-cho matsuri overflows with such displays. Its saturation in both alcohol and testosterone is the debauched legacy of its founder, Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga (1534-82) used the recently introduced musket to propel himself to ascendancy in Japan in the 1570s. He was a fearless warrior, but also notoriously boisterous. In the spirit of pleasure, he started the Sagi-cho Matsuri as a grand street party for his subjects. It retains this essence today, and the "party" element is what makes this matsuri so unique. The line between spectators and participants is very thin, and often shattered completely as the floats veer wildly into the innocent bystanders. The infectious atmosphere is intoxicating. Legend has it that in order to experience the party for himself, Nobunaga would dress as a woman and move freely among his subjects, released from the isolation of power. Today's participants commemorate this in a variety of ways. Some are dressed as women, many are wearing make-up and most sport dyed hair. These brightly costumed participants dance, chant and wobble their way through the streets hypnotising all they pass. Exhausted carriers will even try to enlist onlookers into shouldering their share of the weight for a while. But don't let the alcoholic bribes suck you in. It's backbreaking work, and only for the very drunk.
The modern-day matsuri involves teams of young men from the different areas of Omi Hachiman's old town. On the Saturday, they rise early to indulge in a liquid breakfast that extends through lunch and on into dinner. In between drinks, they contrive to process through the old, narrow streets carrying their area's laboriously constructed talismans. These are seven-metre-long cedar floats lavishly adorned with emblems of the current Chinese zodiac animal. They follow an atmospheric route, desperately trying to avoid damaging the converted merchant warehouses which line the old canal. Throughout the day, each area's carriers try to drink faster and more copiously, to carry for longer and to chant louder than any other group. The result is a heaving, sweating mass of bellowing drunkards. It is a sight to sear itself into anyone's memory.
 |
| Sagicho Festival |
The root of their rivalry lies in the history of the town. Omi Hachiman was long a merchant centre. Its merchants prided themselves on their prosperity, especially if it surpassed that of their rivals from different parts of town. The Sagi-cho street party became an occasion to flaunt wealth and success, and each area's float became a symbol for its prosperity. They are still judged on their opulence today, but the years have found a far more exciting way to separate the strong from the weak. Sunday afternoon heralds the start of this "float wrestling." In a carefully regulated order, the still inebriated carriers face off against each other. Then all hell breaks loose. Like two enormous, drunken sumo wrestlers they race towards each other. With an almighty crack they lock cedar frames and begin to struggle. Maniacal participants shove, jerk and strain in an attempt to cripple the opposition. The rules are unclear, but the whoops and wails of the respective teams reveal who has the upper hand. The stakes are high, and it is not unusual for the tension to reach breaking point. In one particularly close encounter, the cedar floats were quickly forgotten as a well-timed fist floored one of the opposition. The colourful costumes leant a certain elegance to the ensuing fist fight. Perhaps it was the same elegance that led the police to simply look on. It was only when one zealous fighter removed his geta, and began wielding them above his head, that the law intervened. I was unable to determine whether safety or etiquette was their primary concern.
As the Sunday sky darkens, those Sagi-choers who can still stand gather around their floats. It is time for the final flourish. There may be only one winner, but all of Hachiman's regions insist on demonstrating their affluence. These floats have been loving assembled and lavishly decorated. They have been hauled through the streets at the greatest physical cost. But this is of no consequence. They will all be burnt. One by one flames engulf the arresting decorations. As the fire licks upward a few stalwarts dance around the embers. They have triumphed. They have survived Sagi-cho. And if you are still there, so have you.
©2000-2004 S.U.Press | About this site | Comments | Advertising
|
