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Yokote’s Okuribon Festival

For over 300 years, Yokote’s Okuribon Festival has been held on August 15 and 16 as a rite of remembrance and communion with the deceased. The festival is preceded by the Nemuri Nagashi, an event in which local children carry straw boats decorated with candles to the Yokote River. There on the riverbank, they play taiko drums and set out floating lanterns. This practice is said to have originated as a way of dispelling (nagashi) the drowsiness (nemuri) brought on by the summer heat, which would otherwise leave the townsfolk open to attack by malevolent spirits. On August 15, the townspeople gather for a traditional bon odori dance, followed on August 16 by the Yakatabune Kuridashi. Large, straw-clad boats called yakatabune, which can weigh as much as 800 kilograms, are taken down to the river, where a ceremony is held for the spirits of the dead.

History of Okuribon

The summer festival of Obon, which is held throughout Japan, originated as a Buddhist memorial service. Yokote’s version, the Okuribon Festival, started as a memorial organized by the residents of the Yanagimachi neighborhood of Yokote during the Edo period (1603–1867). During this period, the country was struck by three great famines that led to a sharp increase in the cost of rice and the deaths of many hundreds of thousands of people. In remembrance of the many souls lost during these famines, the residents of Yanagimachi launched a straw boat down the Yokote River. Eventually, other neighborhoods in the city began to build their own boats, and the practice continues to this day in the form of the Yakatabune Kuridashi. The yakatabune are arranged in the same location as the children’s smaller boats during the Nemuri Nagashi, after which a Buddhist priest performs a spirit-sending-off ceremony (mitama-okuri). Although the large boats are no longer sent down the river, the lights from the small floating lanterns released during Nemuri Nagashi are reminiscent of the practices of the Edo period.

The Boat-Ramming (Butsuke-ai) Ceremony

Each of the yakatabune that take part in the ceremony is prepared by the residents and shopkeepers of a different neighborhood of Yokote. While the boat frames are reused from previous festivals, every year the residents must fashion new straw hulls and fittings, a process that takes up to a month. Each of the participating neighborhoods builds a yakatabune, which must be carried from its home neighborhood to the dry riverbed of the Yokote River. On August 15, the boats are lined up during the bon odori so that visitors can see them up close. On August 16, the boats are pulled down to the river for the sending-off ceremony. This is followed by the “boat-ramming” (butsuke-ai) ceremony, which has become the highlight of the Okuribon Festival. The boats are brought back to the bridge, where they square off in pairs and are rammed against each other at the nose. Representatives from each neighborhood remain aboard the boats as they smash together, shouting and waving as fireworks go off overhead.

橫手的「送盆節」

橫手的「送盆節」已有300多年歷史，是秋田縣指定的非物質民俗文化財產。送盆節在每年8月15日、16日兩天舉辦，旨在追思亡者、與逝者交流。節日前的8月6日，當地會先舉行「驅散睡魔」的活動，屆時，孩子們會將自己紮的草船抬到橫手川邊，點亮船上的蠟燭和燈籠，然後聚集在河岸上吹笛打鼓，同時讓他們的歡聲笑語迴盪在夜色之中。相傳這項活動源自放河燈儀式，目前在於驅散因夏日暑熱帶來的困倦和睡意，以抵抗邪魔惡靈的侵襲。8月15日，當地市民集體參加傳統盆舞。16日舉辦「送御靈」儀式，人們會將重達800公斤的屋形草船抬到河邊，以此為逝者祈禱。

「送盆」的歷史

夏季的盂蘭盆節是日本全國性的節日，源自一種佛教法會。而橫手的送盆節，起源于江戶時代（1603-1867）橫手柳町一帶的居民舉行的紀念儀式。當時，日本全國遭遇了三次大饑荒，米價暴漲，數千人喪生。為了追思在饑荒中逝去的亡魂，柳町的居民將稻草船放入橫手川中，任其漂流而去。之後，城內其他區域紛紛效仿，也開始製作草船。此項傳統世代延續，演變成了如今的用屋形船「送靈」。屋形船會排列在與「驅散睡魔」中孩子們的小船相同的位置，然後由一名僧侶主持「送御靈」儀式。雖然如今的草船已不再放流，但人們會點亮寫有逝者謚號的小河燈，將其放入河中，而此景讓人不禁聯想到江戶時代的那個風俗。

「鬥舟」

參加「鬥舟」的屋形船，由橫手市各個街區的居民和商鋪老闆親手打造。船的骨架多會沿用往年的部件，但稻草船體和小配件則必須年年換新。光是船體及配件更新，便需要花費一個月才能完成。節日當天，所有與會街區都需要把自己的屋形船從町內抬到橫手川河灘上。8月15日，所有船隻齊齊在市民盆舞現場亮相，供遊客近距離欣賞。8月16日，人們將屋形船拉到河邊，舉行「送御靈」儀式。接著，便是送盆節的高潮「屋形船鬥舟」。屆時，船隻被拖回橋上，兩兩捉對列陣，以船頭相互撞擊。鬥舟期間，每個街區的代表都站在自己街區的船上，在夜空中綻放的煙花襯托下，揮臂高呼助威。

横手的“送盆节”

横手的“送盆节”已有300多年历史，是秋田县指定的非物质民俗文化财产。送盆节在每年8月15日、16日两天举办，旨在追思亡者、与逝者交流。节日前的8月6日，当地会先举办一个叫“驱散睡魔”的活动，届时，孩子们会将自己扎的草船抬到横手川边，点亮船上的蜡烛和灯笼，然后聚集在河岸上吹笛打鼓，同时也让他们的欢声笑语回荡在夜色之中。传说这项活动源自放河灯仪式，目的是驱散因夏日暑热带来的困乏和睡意，以避免遭到邪魔恶灵的侵袭。8月15日，本地市民聚集在一起参加传统盆舞。16日举办“送御灵”仪式，人们会将重达800公斤的屋形草船抬到河边，以此为逝者祈祷。

“送盆”的历史

夏季的盂兰盆节是日本全国性的节日，源自一种佛教法会。而横手的送盆节，起源于江户时代(1603-1867)横手柳町一带的居民举行的纪念仪式。当时，日本全国遭遇了三次大饥荒，米价暴涨，数千人丧生。为了追思在饥荒中逝去的亡魂，柳町的居民将稻草船放入横手川中，任其漂流而去。之后，城内其他区域纷纷效仿，也开始制作草船。这个传统世代延续，演化成了如今的用屋形船“送灵”。屋形船会和“驱散睡魔”中孩子们的小船排在同处，然后由一名僧侣主持“送御灵”仪式。虽然如今的草船已不再放流，但人们会点亮写有逝者谥号的小河灯，让其漂流在河上。而这样的放河灯仪式又令人不禁联想起江户时代的那个风俗。

“斗舟”

参加“斗舟”的屋形船，由横手市各个街区的居民和商铺店主亲手打造。船的骨架多会沿用往年的部件，但稻草船体和小配件则必须年年换新，单这项工作，便需要花费一个月的时间才能完成。节日那天，所有与会街区都需要把自己的屋形船从町内抬到横手川的河滩上。8月15日，所有船只齐齐在市民盆舞现场亮相，供来访者近距离赏鉴。8月16日，人们将屋形船拉到河边，举行“送御灵”仪式。接着，便是送盆节的最大亮点“屋形船斗舟”。届时，船只被拖回桥上，两两捉对列阵，以船头相互撞击。斗舟期间，每个街区的代表都站在自己街区的船上，和着头顶夜空中绽放的烟花，挥臂高呼助威。