-
Niigata brings back mysterious cat mask festival for the first time in almost 90 years
投稿日 2019年10月9日 10:00:18 (ニュース)
-
続・お知らせ。海外セレブゴシップ&ニュース
-
お知らせ
-
We spot the legendary dekotora Aki Kannon, dedicated to actress and singer Aki Yashiro
-
New Pokémon GU collaboration dresses all the family, including babies for the first time
-
How do European Cup Noodles taste to a Japanese palate?
-
We’ve been doing it wrong – Japanese genius shows us how we should all be making sandwiches【Pics】
-
The future is now with full face sunglasses
-
Natto-infused ramen is a thing — we tried it, we love it【Taste test】
-
Jellyfish and Halloween in perfect harmony at Sumida Aquarium event
-
Japanese toilet paper collection opens our minds as we open our butts
-
Aomori police on the lookout for man shouting unsolicited advice at kids about dating and ramen
-
Former Arashi members Sho Sakurai and Masaki Aiba get married… Wait, that didn’t come out right
-
Creator of Japan’s longest-running manga, Golgo 13, passes away, leaves fans one last gift
-
Crazy cheap cosplay at Daiso? How to transform into Dragon Ball’s Vegeta at the discount shop
-
7 Halloween-themed afternoon teas you won’t want to miss this year
-
Krispy Kreme Japan creates doughnut burgers that are a meal and two desserts all in one【Photos】
-
Get in the damn drift car, Shinji? Evangelion Tomika toy brings D1 machine home in miniature form
-
Demon Slayer Nichiren Blades ready for new duty: Slicing through your sweets as dessert knives
-
Man in Japan arrested for breaking into ex-girlfriend’s apartment to steal her Nintendo Switch
-
The Japanese Internet chooses the top too-sexy-for-their-own-good male voices in anime
-
First-ever Studio Ghibli x Russell Athletic range pays homage to My Neighbour Totoro
-
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan announces first expansion with new Donkey Kong area
-
Cup Noodle pouch satisfies our never-ending need for instant ramen
-
Retro Japanese train is our new favourite office space
-
How do Japanese fans feel about Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop opening sequence?
-
We try Uniqlo coffee at first-ever cafe inside Ginza flagship store
-
The number of elderly people in Japan this year has yet again smashed multiple records
-
Mr. Sato broadens his home drinking horizons at Kaldi【Japan’s Best Home Senbero】
-
We try Japanese Twitter’s newest trend the Penguin Egg, end up hatching something very disturbing
-
Takoyaki makers surprisingly good at grilling meat for yakiniku too
Sponsored Link
Geisha once cosplayed as white cats to revive a devastated Japanese town.
On the evening of 13 May, 1931, a fire broke out on the main street of Shirone City in Niigata Prefecture, spreading throughout the entire town and burning down over 470 establishments. The disaster became known as “The Great Fire of Shirone”, and two years afterwards, the city got together to hold a special festival in an effort to revive the area.
The festival was called “Shironeko Koushinkyoku” (“Shironeko Parade“), with the “ko” at the end meaning “children” to refer to the children, or people, of Shirone. However, “Shironeko” has a double meaning, in that it also means “White Cat”, and so the local geisha in the area came out to celebrate by dancing in the parade as white cats.
After the first festival, the people of Shirone would dress in white cat masks and outfits as a way of showing local pride at other festivals and celebrations in the neighbourhood. The cats would prance about and dance to the beat of the shamisen and taiko drums, creating a spectacular sight.
Now, the local Chamber of Commerce is attempting to revive the local festival this month after an almost 90-year hiatus, with the executive committee using this one black-and-white photo from the original festival as their inspiration.
The committee met up with local and international artists, and held several workshops in order to design a cat mask and a special dance to be used at the festival. The white cats at the event will dance to a new version of a song called “Neko ja, Neko ja”, which translates to “You Are a Cat, You Are a Cat”.
Listen to the original song here:
According to event organisers, Shirone is one of many rural areas in Japan facing the challenges of population decline, public transport cuts, shuttered-up businesses and the loss of young residents to bigger cities. Shirone will be opening a variety of stores and stalls to coincide with the festival, and they hope it proves to be such a success that it will continue to be held for the next 90 years, and well into the future, as a way to increase visitors to their town.
Hopefully other rural towns will be able to revive their districts in a similar way as well, and we can all do our part to help keep them alive by adding off-the-beaten path destinations like these to our Japan travel itineraries. With or without a giant cat head in tow.
Festival information
Shironeko Koushinkyoku / 白根子行進曲
Address: Shirone Shotengai Ninomachi – Gorokunomachi (Niigata-shi, Minami-ku, Shirone Honmachi Doori)
白根商店街二の町~五六の町(新潟市南区白根 本町通)
Event Times: 1:30 p.m. (Opening) / 2:00 p.m. (First Costume Parade) / 2:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m. (Costume Contest) / (Second Costume Parade) / 4:30 p.m. (Photography Rally)
Website
Source: Shironekodanyan via Japaaan
Featured image: Instagram/shironeko.koushinkyoku
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Source: SORA NEWS24
Sponsored Link
最新情報