the Beginning of Autumn

立秋のあとが暑い

立秋とは秋の始めの事ですが、立秋を過ぎてもまだまだ暑い日が続きます。それどころか、その後に最高気温が記録される事が多いくらいです。毎年、８月８日ごろに立秋を迎えますが、この日以降の暑さを残暑と呼ぶのが正しいと言われています。しかし、体感的にはどこか違和感を感じます。でもこの頃になると、海水浴場では大きな波のうねりがあらわれたり電気クラゲに刺される人が増えたり、公園では秋の花の萩や桔梗が咲き乱れたりしていますので、何となくもう秋かなと感じます。やっぱり太陽の運行は性格なんですね。

the Beginning of Autumn 

Rissyu means the beginning of autumn but even after this day it continues to be hot. In fact, after Rissyu the highest temperature of the year is often recorded. The day is around August 8 every year and it is said the heat after this day is formally called zansyo(Lingering heat) . But when we say what we feel, it is a little bit different. Around this time of the year there appears a big wave near the swimming beach and more and more people are stung by electric jellyfish. In the park autumn flowers such as Japanese bellflowers are beginning to bloom. So I somehow feel autumn has already com. The movement of the sun is more accurate, don't you think so?

Bon Dance and Yukata

盆踊り・浴衣姿

盆踊りの中でも特に有名な者は、徳島の阿波踊りなどですが全国各地に各種の盆踊りがあります。外国人観光客の間でも盆踊りは人気があり、まためずらしがられて、踊りの中に飛び入りする外人さんもいるほどです。

各種の盆踊りは、人々が円を描きながら踊るものと更新しながら踊るものとに二大別されるそうです。いずれにしても、浴衣姿がとてもよく似合います。浴衣を機内と、様になりませんし、盆踊りらしく見えないから不思議です。このため、盆踊り用の特別な浴衣を持ってくる人もいますし、大勢の人がそろいの浴衣をきることもあります。外国の人たちにも浴衣はよく似合いますよ。

Bon Dance and Yukata

There are many kinds of bon dances all over the country but Awa-odori in Tokusima Prefecture is especially famous among them. It is so popular among foreign tourists that some of them even join the people who are dancing. Maybe it seems curious to them.

A variety of bon dances are grouped into two distinct types. In one type people dance in a circle and in the other people parade dancing and move forward. In either case, people look nice in yukata. It is strange that if people don't wear yukata, they don't look nice and it doesn't look like a typical bon dancing. So some people have special yukata for a bon dancing. In some cases, a lot of people wear the same yukata in a group. I am sure foreign people look nice in yukata.

Urabon

盂蘭盆

盂蘭盆を略して盆とかお盆といっています。この日は、祖先の冥福をいのり、飢えに苦しんでいる人たちに食べ物を施す日として昔からの伝統行事になっています。

ですから、各種のごちそうを、まず祖先の霊に供えて、その後にごちそう鵜を欲しい人たちや野獣や野鳥にまで自由時分け与えるのが昔からの習わしなのです。でも、ゆたかになった現代では、ごちそうをもらってかえる人がすくなくなったので、お寺の墓前にごちそうを供える人は少なくなりました。食べ物を持参する事を禁止するお寺も増えています。

お盆参りや僧侶の檀家まわりなどが、いまでも行われています。地方によってお盆の日がちがいますが、一般に７月１５日や８月１５比に行うところが多いようです。

Urabon 

We call "Urabon" "Bon" or "Oo-bon" for short. It has been an old traditional event. On this day we pray that our ancestors' souls may rest in peace and give food and drink to people who are hungry.

 That is why we first offer a variety of dishes to the spirit of our ancestors and after that give them to people who want them or even to wild animals or birds. This custom has been practiced for a long time. But today, richer than before, fewer people want to bring back those dishes so fewer people offer dishes in front of their tombs at temple. More and more temples even ask their visitors not to bring food.

Even today, people visit family cemeteries and priests visit their supporters. Generally in most districts the event is held on July 15 or August 15, but in others it is held on other days.S