22
January 2013 - Clapping and singing together - (From the
left) Mr. Nekohachi EDOYA and folk singers, Mr. Masao SUZUKI, Ms. Keiko SUDO, Mr. Fumio OTSUKA, Ms. Makiko KOSUGI, and Ms. Keiko CHIDA (Hebita Mutual Support Base Center,
Ishinomaki City, Miyagi)
Mr. Nekohachi
EDOYA IV, who is
known for his performance of mimicking
animals, has been conducting a tour along with other folk singers to cheer
up those who live in the disaster
areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima. AAR Japan has been supporting the operation
of the tour "Don't Give Up, Northeastern Japan – It’s All About Folk Songs - : Entertainer Nekohachi EDOYA and Folk Singers Cheer up the Spirit of People in Disaster Areas". The following is a report by
Natsuki MATSUMOTO from AAR Japan Tokyo Office, who accompanied the Miyagi tour from January 21st to 24th, 2013.
Bringing Smiles to the Faces of More
Than 600 people in 14 Venues
The Miyagi
tour covered 14 different venues in just
four days. The venues included community centers and temporary housings in
Kesennuma City, Ishinomaki City, Higashimatsushima City and Onagawa Town. All
of the venues were packed with people before the performance, and some of the
venues were too packed to
accommodate everyone who came.
"Many of you may be going through difficult
times right now, but today please laugh and
enjoy yourselves as much as you can, "Mr. Nekohachi told the audience."We have
been waiting for you," responded the audience with smiles on their faces. Many clapped
their hands and sang the local folk songs along with the folk singers."Hō-hokekyo!" Mr. Nekohachi mimicked a bush-warbler as the
folk singer Ms. Keiko CHIDA sang the
line "Uguisu wa ei sah koe ga ii
... (“Bush-warbler warbles beautifully
...” from folk song Miyagi
Tanarashi Uta)," triggering loud laughter
and applause from the audience.
Some audience members got up and
started singing and dancing when the last song "Tairyo Utaikomi (a local folk song of Miyagi)" began. People thanked the entertainers after
the performance, saying "That was great! We'd love to
have you again." Another said, "We much prefer folk music to what's
popular among younger people."
21
January 2013 - Mr. Nekohachi took requests from the audience
and improvised songs and performances requested (Shishiori Junior High School
Temporary Housing Complex, Kesennuma City, Miyagi)
24
January 2013 – The audience not only sang along with the folk song of Miyagi "Tairyo Utaikomi," but even
started dancing to the music (Onagawa Regional Welfare Center 2F Hall, Onagawa Town,
Miyagi)
24
January 2013 -Mr. Nekohachi made the audience laugh
with his lilting speech. "We haven't had an
event like this in a while," said one of the audience members. A greater joy
was felt at this venue, where the
audiences were largely evacuees who were staying in government-subsidized housings or had returned to live in their own houses. (Onagawa Working Youth Center
Judo Hall, Onagawa Town, Miyagi)
22
January 2013 - Mr. Nekohachi (center) visited people who could not make it to the event due to sickness. He mimicked a
bush-warbler while Ms. Keiko CHIDA (left) sang a folk
song. (Koyo Temporary Housing Complex, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi)
23
January 2013 - Mr. Nekohachi ask the residents, "How are things these days?" Residents of Higashimatsushima Hibiki
Temporary Housing Complex stepped outside to send Mr. Nekohachi and the singers off. (Higashimatsushima City, Miyagi)
21 January 2013 -"How sweet of you. Thank you!" Before the
performance started at Oshima Community Center, we handed people chocolates
with encouragement
messages attached in handmade
tote bags that were sent to AAR Japan from all over
the country. The person in front is Yumiko YAMASHITA from AAR Japan Tokyo office. (Kesennuma City, Miyagi)
"Folk music reflects the heart of Japanese
people," said Mr. Nekohachi. "Listening to it and singing
it out loud energizes me like nothing else does. We may go through
tough times or frustrating situations, but it's important not to let it
get us down. I hope that what I do
will encourage the people living in the
disaster areas to stay
strong."
Mr. Nekohachi
has been encouraging people in the disaster areas and bringing smiles to their faces with his
performance since the
first performance in April 2011, which was conducted at an elementary school
and an evacuation center in Oshika Peninsula in Ishinomaki, Miyagi with the
support of AAR Japan.
※ The tour in
Miyagi was conducted with your generous donations and a grant received from
Caritas Germany.
Tokyo Office Natsuki MATSUMOTO [Reporter]
In charge of PR at the Tokyo
Headquarters Office since April 2012.
Graduated from university and
progressed to graduate school, while working with the UN as an intern. Joined AAR
Japan after graduating from MA course. (Profile at time of publication)
