The Horse Says... "HiHiin!"

Cecil-tucky. Known for corn, the Cecil County Fair, Fair Hill park, deer, deer hunting, deer jerky, and horses.

Iwate. Known for apples, oni kenbai, shishi odori, fabulous onsen, Geto Resort, taro, croquettes, beef and horses.

Let's play Find the Foreigner!

What a weekend! The Chagu Chagu Umako is a horse festival (hence the “Umako”) to honor the horses of Iwate after rice planting season. The “chagu chagu” is onomatopoeia for the sound of the bells around the horses’ necks. The horses are dressed in traditional ornaments, shawls, saddles and the crowning jewel: an adorable child strapped to the saddle, waving at people along the street. 

Families parade the horses from the base of Mt. Iwate in Takizawa Village 15 kilometers through the city of Morioka. The 200 year old tradition is a huge draw for the Japanese and foreigners alike, including yours truly. People flock in droves by train, bus and car to Morioka to cheer for the horses and shower them with love and affection: Thank you, Uma-san, for another year of rice!

When you consider how significant rice is to Japan, that’s actually a pretty legit statement. 

 

The full day event closed off a large portion of Morioka so the horses and farmers could proceed through the city safely. It was like watching living history: a scene from ancestral Japan, grandly parading through concrete, neon and iron modernity. Cotton and silk clothes, straw sandals and hats and the invariable sound of “chagu chagu:” it was really an incredible sight! 

People are so devoted to supporting the 100 odd horses (there were some foals too, so I don’t know if they count) that they follow the procession from Morioka Station all the way to the end of line at the other end of the city: a total walk time of about two hours! Masses of people slowly walk through town to take part in the festival. 

Along the way, the horses took a break. Children were allowed to feed them carrots while the animals and people alike rested halfway through the event. There were vendors through the parade route as well, including shaved ice cones for the children and beer for the adults! 

SNACK TIME!

Patrick, Hoi Ming and I found a nice shady spot to camp out towards the end of the route. Hoi Ming is a real trooper: she arrived in Morioka earlier in the day by train and was one of the throng that followed the horses through the city. We watched each and every horse go by, admiring the beauty of the pageantry and the sheer size of the horses! The children on their backs looked like ornately dressed fleas in comparison! 

This guy was cool enough to slow down and let me get a picture!

I love how the Japanese hold such high regard for respect and honor and how that carries over not just from the professional working world to domestic life. And that includes festivals like Chagu Chagu. After a long rice planting season, the horses are not simply given a sugar cube and a pat on the butt. There is an event to honor their work!

That’s a pretty effective work incentive. 

This weekend was my sugar cube. A couple days out of town, sleeping in, watching a matsuri and the finishing touch: pizza and a puzzle! But not just any pizza and puzzle: teriyaki pizza and a Totoro puzzle! 

Small but surprisingly daunting...the puzzle, not me!