Wakayama –
Two elaborately embellished boats sailed alongside the Kozagawa River in Wakayama Prefecture on July 26 because the annual Kochi Festival was held underneath scorching summer season warmth.
The small vessels, modeled after whaling boats from the Edo interval, had been adorned with banners and lanterns for a ceremonial river procession via the cities of Kushimoto and Kozagawa.
The boats slowly circled Kochijima, a small sacred island within the river considered the competition’s object of worship, whereas males aboard carried out conventional Ofunauta boat songs.
A lion dance was additionally offered on the riverbank, entertaining spectators who gathered regardless of the intense warmth.
The competition is likely one of the cultural properties included in “Living With Whales,” a Japan Heritage designation acknowledged by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Yoshiaki Sugimoto, 79, chairman of the Kozagawa Kochi Festival Preservation Association, stated the custom is dealing with a severe scarcity of contributors.
“Thirty or 40 years ago, there were three boats and 36 singers performing the Ofunauta, but now the number of singers has fallen to four,” Sugimoto stated. “The situation is difficult, but we want to do everything we can to preserve this tradition.”
Source: Kyodo