410年間続く地域文化を後世に！〜酒田まつり再興計画〜

 

Thank you for visiting this page. My name is Satoshi Okabe, Chairman of the
Local culture development section of the Junior Chamber International
Sakata. I am from Sakata City in the Yamagata Prefecture in Japan. the
Local culture development section in 2019 is in charge of overseeing both
the Festival and Yamaboko Committee. Since 1969, we have been involved in various ways during the annual Sakata festival, formerly known as the Sanno festival, which is the largest festival in the region.

the Junior Chamber International Sakata has the purpose of "contributing to regional development by collaborating with partners from all over the
country without giving up on the youth's active goals," and the "Sakata Festival" is important in the traditional and historical culture of the region. By continuing our activities, we transmit this culture to future generations.

 

This year the Sakata Festival, will be held for its 410 th anniversary, we would like to prepare festival costumes to make the festival more deeply rooted in the area so local peoples can inherit the traditional culture.

Each local resident who participates in the "Sakata Festival" and supports
it, is a symbol that leads to the succession of the historical culture of
the area. We thank you all in advance for your donations and support.

 

 

 

The Sakata festival, formerly known as the Sanno festival, is a city
traditional festival that has been continued since 1609, over 400 years of
history with no interruptions.

It has been reported that from around 1712 large Yamaboko float made in the
shape of a mountain appeared. Sakata’s wealthy merchant families,
including the Honma family, who was one of japan richest family at the
time, started to compete in building le highest float culminating in 1780
with more than 20 meters high floats.

 

At the time, with no crane or heavy equipment, can you imagine how they
could make 20 meters high float with just human hand.

Certainly it’s easy to understand that they needed a lot of pride for
their area to pour all this passion and knowledge in the making of the
“festival and Yamaboko”. Also, on the day of the festival, watching
adults dragging the Yamaboko float around the city, young children must
have dreamed of the day they will do it.

 

 

 

However, with the installation of electric cable around the city in 1908,
it became difficult to move large standing Yamaboko float during the Sanno
festival and the Yamaboko culture declined. From there, the Sakata festival
became a festival with no peculiarity, with nothing to make it different
from all the other festivals.

So in order to restore it to its former glory, we restored the Yamaboko
culture by doing first a 6 meters high float in 1996, then in 2008 a whole
20 meters high Yamaboko same as it was done in the past. In 2009 for the
400 th anniversary of the festival, we could move the float around the city.

With the restoration of the Yamaboko float, the Sakata festival was revived
and brought back to its former appearance.

 

 

 

The Sakata festival is not just about the Yamaboko, it has a variety of
other events. For example, with more than 400 booths and a linear distance of approximately 800 meters, it’s one of the largest festival stall
streets in Tohoku.

As someone who grown up here, I myself participated many times in the
festival and I think it’s one of the treasures of the area and it’s a
necessity for us to carry on this traditional culture. In addition, I think
that it’s also a great opportunity to teach children about this culture
and transmit them a deep local pride.

 

 

However, the will to “keep the tradition of this historic festival” is not shared enough amongst the people of the region. Of course, having fun during the festival is important but it should not be the only motivation
and but it should be at the same time an opportunity to inherit the culture
of this festival.

So, first of all, we would like to bring together the participants by
sharing a same costume that will bring a sense of unity. By wearing the
traditional costume of the festival, I think that people will feel that

they are in charge of the culture of the festival. In addition, I think
that by becoming a symbol of the festival, the costume will further enhance the attraction of the event.

 

 

* costume model

 

The costume that will be prepared for children will be the same as the
traditional costume that Sakata merchant used to wear during the Sanno
festival in the past.

 

 

* Production schedule

 

April 22 nd 2019 Costume order is made
From April 23 rd to May 13 th 2019 Costume production
May 16 th 2019 Participant briefing and Costume distribution
May 19 th 2019 Sakata festival, Night festival
May 20 th 2019 Sakata festival, Main festival “Children and Standing
Yamaboko event”

 

* Use of contribution funds

 

- Festival costume for children purchase costs (for 40 costumes) 470,400
yens
- Other cost (crowdfunding fees, etc...) 129,600 yens

 

By bringing us all together in costumes from our old tradition, we would
like to connect with our local culture and let children feel love for the
region again. And we think that children and adult, by seeing the tradition
created by their predecessors in this community, will be motivated to
revive it to its former glory.

 

We want to keep the region festival alive, to continue to convey the
standing Yamaboko to future generations. And to do so we want to make our children unto future leaders of this wonderful traditional culture by
deepen their interest and cultivate their love for their local region.

Thank you all for your warm support and donation.

 

 

〜profile〜

 

Satoshi Okabe,
Chairman of the Local culture development section of the Junior Chamber
International Sakata

 

〜gift〜

【Sakata Festival for the future generations! Your support will become children’s costumes】

 

3,000yens

・Thank you letter
・Certificate for tax deduction
※We publish a certificate for tax deduction using the name and address you registered.

 

10,000yens

・Thank you letter

・Report on the activity about Sakata Festival
・Certificate for tax deduction
※We publish a certificate for tax deduction using the name and address you registered.

 

30,000yens

・Thank you letter

・Report on the activity about Sakata Festival

・Photo of children dragging the Yamaboko
・Certificate for tax deduction
※We publish a certificate for tax deduction using the name and address you registered.

【Full Support plan】Supporting Sakata Festival with full power!!!

 

50,000yens

・Thank you letter

・Report on the activity about Sakata Festival

・Photo of children dragging the Yamaboko
・Certificate for tax deduction
※We publish a certificate for tax deduction using the name and address you registered.

【Special Support plan】Supporting Sakata Festival with a special
feeling!!!

 

100,000yens

・Thank you letter

・Report on the activity about Sakata Festival

・Photo of children dragging the Yamaboko
・Certificate for tax deduction
※We publish a certificate for tax deduction using the name and address you registered.