SPECIAL MULTIMODAL BONUS RESOURCES AND PHOTOS FOR「Neighborhood Autumn Festival in Japan: A Multimodal Visual Ethnography and Performance」@ DISTRIBUTED MULTIMODALITIES @ DISTRIBUTE 2020

Click here for project abstract and background.

Scroll down to the end for 2020-2022 updates.

Segment I: Introduction

Previous VAOJ Fall Festival Photo Essays:

Really Late - Better Late Than Never - 2019 Neighborhood Fall Festival Shots From Sunday, 13 Oct. (Saturday was canceled due to a typhoon...) https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/11/really-late-better-late-than-never-2019.html

もうすぐ「秋祭り」ですね... Getting ready to press the shutter and push the danjiri at the Fall Festival! https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/10/getting-ready-to-press-shutter-and-push.html

「Visual Anthropology of Japan: Neighborhood Fall Festival」Presentation at AJJ 2019 Spring Workshop @ Minpaku: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/04/visual-anthropology-of-japan.html

2018 Fall Festival in Six Parts: 1) Pre-departure: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-fall-festival-in-six-parts-1-pre.html

2018 Fall Festival in Six Parts: 2) Taking a break with another neighborhood association: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-fall-festival-in-six-parts-2.html

2018 Fall festival in Six Parts: 3) Push-pulling the danjiri through the narrow streets: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-fall-festival-in-six-parts-3-push.html

2018 Fall Festival in Six Parts: 4) Lunch break: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-fall-festival-in-six-parts-4-lunch.html

2018 Fall Festival in Six Parts: 5) Celebration with another neighborhood association: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-fall-festival-in-six-parts-5.html

2018 Fall Festival in Six Parts: 6) Post-matsuri and getting busted by the cops: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-fall-festival-in-six-parts-6-post.html

2017 Fall Festival: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2017/10/2017-it-was-rainy-fall-festival-this.html

2016 Fall Festival: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.jp/2016/10/2016-autumn-festival.html

2014 Fall Festival: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.jp/2014/11/2014-fall-festival.html

2013 Fall Festival: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.jp/2013/11/2013-fall-festival.html

2012 Fall Festival: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.jp/2012/10/2012-fall-festival.html

2010 Local Matsuri in Classic Black & White: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.jp/2010/11/local-matsuri-in-classic-black-white.html

2010 Local Matsuri In Living Color: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.jp/2010/11/local-matsuri-in-living-color.html

Kadoma-shi and Danjiri

The area now known as Kadoma-shi has a long and rich history going back to the Jomon Period, Edo Period and of course more modern times.

Details from the Kadoma-shi web page: https://www.city.kadoma.osaka.jp/shisei/shokai/index.html

Danjiri festivals are popular and numerous not only in Kadoma-shi but all over Japan. These web pages have a lot in great photos that show an interesting diversity of celebrations:

https://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/danjiribayashi0

https://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/danjiribayashi0/48948748.html

http://www.danjirigoya.danjiri.info/tanig/dnjr/index.htm

http://danjirigoya.fan-site.net/dnjr2007/look13/kadoma/index5.html#1

This site introduces neighborhood groups and danjiri in Kadoma-shi (scroll down to see Shirogaki-cho's danjiri 城垣町祭保存会):

http://kadoma.mypl.net/article/dentobunka_kadoma/28629

Rough translation of text: The upper part [of the danjiri], including the stage pillars, is said to have been made in the late Edo period... Although [the neighborhood festival] had been suspended for a while after the war, it is still centered around its young power... As a feature, the front rider is wearing a traditional pink long-sleeved robe.

Kadoma-shi gathers its danjiri together to celebrate the opening of a new expressway (this was before I began my research...).

Kadoma-shi gathered its danjiri together to celebrate Culture Day (national holiday on November 3) in 2012 and 2013.

2012 Danjiri Culture Day Festival in Kadoma-shi https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-danjiri-culture-day-festival-in.html

2013 門真市地域伝統文化まつり (Kadoma-shi Neighborhood Traditional Culture Festival) https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2013/11/2013-kadoma-shi-neighborhood.html

Kadoma-shi also gathered its danjiri together to celebrate the new emperor and new era.

令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード - Kadoma-shi New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19). See The Reiwa Experience below.

Segment II: Day One

Segment III: Day Two Part 1

Segment IV: The Reiwa Experience

「令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.1 https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/11/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in.html

「令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.2 - Preparations https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/11/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_29.html

「令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.3 - Truckin' the Danjiri to the Parade https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/11/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_30.html

「令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.4 - Gathering at the meeting place... And then they're off! https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/12/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in.html

「令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.5 - The Parade! https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/12/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_2.html

「令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.6 - More Parade! https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/12/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_10.html

令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.7 - The Performances https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/12/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_15.html

令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.8 - The Finale: Battle! https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/12/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_16.html

令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.9 - The Finale: Battle! Video as Raw Data https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/12/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_86.html


令和の門真の発展を願ってだんじり・太鼓台パレード」--- Hope and Well Wishes for Kadoma-shi in the New Reiwa Era Danjiri and Taiko Drum Parade (11/23/19) - pt.10 - Lest We Forget the Mochi Maki... https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/12/hope-and-well-wishes-for-kadoma-shi-in_19.html

Segment V: Day Two Part 2

I was sitting, enjoying the delicious meat and chu-hai with my family and about 30 neighbors, appreciating their efforts over the last two days and the past several years I have been participating in the fall festival. I was thinking about these people getting up early Saturday morning to prepare the danjiri, push the beast through our neighborhood, returning to the shrine and preparing it for an evening festival of food, drinks and games for children and hosting special guests from other neighborhood associations before cleaning up the shrine grounds until late in the night. Then they got up early Sunday morning for another procession and events with other neighborhood groups. Technically they were parading the local kami (deity) from the shrine to bestow its blessings on the people of the parish but perhaps more importantly from an anthropological perspective they were spreading good will and friendship within our parish and with other neighborhood associations. Very respectful to say the least. I was also thinking what a shame it was that so few people participate in this important event. None of the people in the area around my house participate or even greet the shrine as it blesses their streets.

It was about 8:00 PM when I was thinking these thoughts. Then a young police officer showed up. Apparently somebody had complained about the noise from our celebration. This was not a loud and crazy party. It was a dinner party at our local shinto shrine - most of us had to work or go to school the next day. The police officer looked uncomfortable as he asked our community leaders to keep the noise level down. We were stunned and amused at the same time. And even more so when another (older) police officer came about 20 minutes later responding to the same complaint. I was able to snap a couple of pictures on my iPhone that shows the nervous/uncomfortable gestures of the police officer. We promised once again to keep it down and then ended our party 30 minutes later as scheduled.

It seems sad that few people participate and that one would even complain about perhaps the second most important shrine festival in our neighborhood (the most important the celebration on New Year's Eve that goes well past midnight). One worries about the traditional culture of Japan until they see the determination and efforts of my neighbors. See you next year!

Still to be continued...

UPDATES: 

(2020) No Fall Festival this year - the danjiri remained locked in the shed - but a kagura dance was performed, attended by (in addition to the Shinto priest and dancers) 7 old men (the shrine board of directors), a visual anthropologist and his 7-year-old assistant

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2020/10/no-fall-festival-this-year-danjiri.html

(2021) 秋祭 / Fall Festival 2021 (pt.1): canceled again due to COVID-19, but a few of us got together in the morning to drag the danjiri out of storage and clean it for the the first time in two years; it was good to see my friends again and participate in other activities at the shrine in the afternoon (to be continued...)

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2021/10/fall-festival-2021-pt1-canceled-again.html

(2021) Transitions

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2021/10/transition.html

(2021) 秋祭 / Fall Festival 2021 (pt.2): canceled again due to COVID-19; the shrine elders gather in the afternoon for the yudate (boiling water purification) ceremony - raw video data and photographs

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2021/10/fall-festival-2021-pt2-canceled-again.html

(2022) Fall Festival - Day One
http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-fall-festival-day-one.html

(2022) Fall Festival - Day Two

http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-fall-festival-day-two.html

(2022) Fall Festival - I'm feeling like monochrome...

http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-fall-festival-im-feeling-like.html

「Tenbun Closing」- Leading to a Week of Intensive Photography and Salvage Ethnography pt.6 - The Shutters Are Drawn And The Noren Is Taken Down

「Tenbun Closing」- Leading to a Week of Intensive Photography and Salvage Ethnography pt.5 - Raw Data of the Last Night

Tenbun's business hours were 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM. However Tencho was very flexible. There were many times when I showed up a little early and left a little late. Tenbun was very busy during its last week. But the last night was absolutely crazy with customers spilling out into the corridor. It was as though everyone had to say their farewells and drink up every last bit of alcohol at the shop before it closed. The following two short videos - raw data - show the scene at 11:20 PM...

Harry's Last Week in Japan 2019

My Documenting Japan class (spring 2019) student, Harry Weldie, made a film about his last week in Japan. He has recently re-edited it and sent it to me.

In his film description, Harry writes:

For 5 months of my life I lived in a country on the other side of our planet. A country with many amazing sights, traditions, food, and people.

During those months I had a lot of normal days.

I'm tired of fomo-bait travel documentation. I wanted to shoot a film that plainly displays the last week that I spent in Japan, one of normalcy and quiet anticipation for the flight home. This is that film.

I think the film is timely now in that we all miss the normalcy of the recent past. And I'm very sorry that my current students will not have these kind of normal (yet special and important) experiences.

Thank you, Harry!

「Neighborhood Autumn Festival in Japan: A Multimodal Visual Ethnography and Performance」@ DISTRIBUTED MULTIMODALITIES @ DISTRIBUTE 2020

This is my part of our panel presentation/film at DISTRIBUTE 2020:

Neighborhood Autumn Festival in Japan: A Multimodal Visual Ethnography and Performance

Abstract:

I am a long-term resident of Shirogaki-cho, a small bedroom community located between a busy train station and two major expressways. Most of my neighbors are strangers, especially those people moving into the new apartment buildings that are increasingly replacing the traditional-style homes. However, there is a small group of families and individuals that organize and participate in traditional festivals and occasions. The largest of these events is the Autumn Festival; for two days these people push and pull a large wooden cart called a danjiri around the neighborhood to bestow blessings from the Shinto gods of the local shrine. As the resident anthropologist I have been allowed to participate with this group, both as an event photographer and major cart pusher (with the latter being a more appreciated contribution).

This project is a performative visual ethnography of the Autumn Festival composed of autoethnographic vignettes, “self-reflexive explorations” (Docot 2019) and fifteen years of data gathering and photography. The research is influenced by Dore’s neighborhood study approach (1958), Ben-Ari’s discussion of community volunteer organizations (1991) and Bestor’s exploration of local identities, culture change and community bonding (1989, 1992). This project is sensory (Pink 2009) and multimodal in terms of continued media production, collaborative relationships and reciprocities and shifting research positions and goals (Collins, Durington and Gill 2017). The goal here is a multi-media performance to disseminate ethnographic data based upon my own juxtaposed memories and experiences.

References:

Ben-Ari, Eyal (1991). Changing Japanese Suburbia. New York: Kegan Paul International Ltd.

Bestor, Theodore C. (1989). Neighborhood Tokyo. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Bestor, Theodore C. (1992). Neighborhood Tokyo (film). Media Production Group (MPG), Asian Educational Media Service (AEMS), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

S.M. Collins, M. Durington and H. Gill (2017). Mulitimodality: An Invitation. American Anthropologist, Vol. 119, No. 1: 142–153.

Docot, Dada (December 2019). Taking the Long Route: Ethnographic Metacommentary as Method in the Anthropological Film Practice, Current Anthropology 60, no. 6: 774-795.

Dore, Ronald P. (1958). City Life in Japan: A Study of a Tokyo Ward. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd.

Pink, Sarah (2009). Doing Sensory Ethnography. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

For some more background on this project:

「Visual Anthropology of Japan: Neighborhood Fall Festival」Presentation at AJJ 2019 Spring Workshop @ Minpaku: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2019/04/visual-anthropology-of-japan.html

NOTE: I will post more information about my research in the context of our panel along with bonus sources and photos on Friday, May 8, 2020. Stay tuned to VAOJ!

For more on the panel and conference:

DISTRIBUTED MULTIMODALITIES: ETHNOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTS IN MEMORY AND PERFORMANCE: https://distributedmultimodalities.carrd.co/

Our Panel Schedule (FR-4) - Our film will be streamed/shown at 3 times (these are the times in Osaka - make the conversion for your own time zone):

Friday, May 8, 2020, 12:00 PM
Friday, May 8, 2020, 20:00 PM
Saturday, May 9, 2020, 4:00 AM

DISTRIBUTE 2020: https://distribute.utoronto.ca/

DISTRIBUTE 2020 SCHEDULE: https://distribute.utoronto.ca/program/

NOTE: If you are interested, please register as soon as possible. The process is a bit challenging... But the fee is only $10!

Jalan Jalan (85): Sacred trees at the local shrine trimmed and the mystery baseball returns (a connection? I miss baseball...)

「Tenbun Closing」- Leading to a Week of Intensive Photography and Salvage Ethnography pt.4 - What's in my bag?

Compare with:

What’s in your fieldwork bag? https://savageminds.org/2007/08/13/whats-in-your-fieldwork-bag/

What's in Your Bag? https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/AN.600

What's in Your Bag, Anthropologists? https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/AN.929

What’s in Your Bag? 2019 Edition https://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2019/07/23/whats-in-your-bag-2019-edition/

「Tenbun Closing」- Leading to a Week of Intensive Photography and Salvage Ethnography pt.3 - "...and how do you feel about Tenbun closing, Tani-san?"

「Tenbun Closing」- Leading to a Week of Intensive Photography and Salvage Ethnography pt.2 - posing for pictures, sharing drinks with the staff, farewell handshakes and hugs, reminiscing with old photos and having your favorite sake for the last time...