六魂祭 Rokkonsai: Six Spirits Festival

絆

“Kizuna” in Japanese means “emotional ties”, “relationship”, “close connections”. It also implies joining and working together as a unit.

People’s reaction to the recent Orlando shooting is a perfect example. And the outpouring of assistance and care, love and support, is still ongoing.

Kumamoto here in Japan is another. Earthquakes, landslides, devastation, are all being met with an incredible sense of working together, of helping each other survive.

The Kizuna spirit that emerged in Tohoku in 2011 is world renown. It held us together, giving us courage to move forward, keeping us alive.

And at that time, emotional support, Kizuna 絆, took many forms. One of them was to bring joy. So, despite hearts vulnerable and raw, a very unique festival was born: “Rokkon Sai”, or “Six Spirits Festival”  六魂祭.  That is, the six major Tohoku summer events, one from each prefecture, joined into one.

Fukushima’s Waraji

Miyagi’s Tanabata

Iwate’s Sansa Odori

Yamagata’s Hanagasa

Akita’s Kanto

Aomori’s Nebuta

This joyous and powerful expression of Hope through Unity has been repeated every year since 2011. But this year, the sixth, marked this final combined celebration. And what a glorious grande finale it was.

Love,
Anne