June 17th Sunny | Chagu Chagu Umakko
Good evening!
This is Grandpa Yanagi. I look forward to your company for another session today!
Everyone, how did you spend this weekend?
I think this weekend had quite a lot of events for Morioka!
Among them, something worth noting isChagu Chagu Umakko, isn't it?✨
Perhaps there are some people who are thinking, "What on earth is Chagu Chagu Umakko?", so let me explain first!
In 1930, when Prince Chichibu, known as a horse lover, visited the prefecture, he visited the Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa City. After that, he showed a parade of horses at the sacred horse grounds of Morioka Hachimangu Shrine, which was very well received. Therefore, it became a custom to hold a parade to Morioka Hachimangu Shrine after visiting the shrine starting the following year.
About 60 to 100 horses march the 14-kilometer route from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine to Morioka Hachimangu Shrine over about 5 hours. There are almost no examples of this type of festival in the world, and in 1978, it was selected by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property for which measures such as record creation should be taken.
Also, the name Chagu Chagu Umakko originates from the sound of the 700 large and small bells attached to the gorgeous costumes the horses wear, which make a "chagu chagu" sound. In 1996, the sound of those bells was selected as one of the "100 Soundscapes of Japan" by the then-Environment Agency.
https://chaguuma.com/history/
It is a traditional event with such origins! Surprisingly, the history of Chagu Chagu Umakko in its current form is not that old, but customs leading up to Chagu Chagu Umakko existed even before that!
Furthermore, considering that Iwate has long been a horse-producing region, that Nanbu horses were presented to the Shogun during the Edo period, and that the unique Nanbu Magariya (L-shaped house) exists, it can be said that the history of coexistence between horses and people is long.
I have also been familiar with Chagu Chagu Umakko since I was small, and when I was little, I often went to see it holding hands with my grandparents! I was able to go see it last year, but this year my schedule overlapped and I couldn't see it. *sob*
It's not just the horses that I remember when it comes to Chagu Chagu Umakko! There is also a folk song that won't leave my ears: "Cha~gu cha~gu Umakko ga~ mono iu~ ta~ ♫"
Source
Shop Makyo 49th Warehouse Music Archives
https://youtu.be/V8UKaTcTP2g?si=UC20k0qSr9uc_t-P
This song is essential to Chagu Chagu Umakko!!
Personally, I like the lyrics of the second verse!
"Met at the festival last year for the first time, dancing this year with the child on my back"
Those are the lyrics, but isn't that lovely?💞
Like, someone you fell in love with at first sight last year, and this year you've become a married couple and are going to see Chagu Chagu Umakko happily with the baby on your back!!!
Isn't that nice~ Love, that is. lol
So, that's all for today!
It shouldn't be too long... probably... (my posts are always long though)
See you next time!
Grandpa Yanagi