Fukko Festival in Mabi (held on January 26, 2020) 〜 A lively exchange across generations! A festival wishing for Mabi’s continued recovery

January 26, 2020, more than a year and a half after the July 2018 Heavy Rain Disaster.

As an event supporting disaster recovery, “Fukko Festival in Mabi” was held!

The Fukko Festival offered something for everyone to enjoy together, from young children and their parents to their grandparents.

Delicious food, heartwarming performances, and opportunities to connect in the activity areas brought smiles to everyone who came.

Kuratoco reporter “Miniko” introduces the event, focusing on the day’s performances!

About the “Fukko Festival in Mabi”

The “Fukko Festival in Mabi” is a festival supporting the recovery of Mabi, which was affected by the disaster. Admission to the event itself is free.

Disaster relief donations were collected at several locations around the venue, and donors received a hat-shaped magnet!

The Fukko Festival was jointly organized by the Okayama Prefecture Federation of Senior Citizens’ Clubs and the Kurashiki City Federation of Senior Citizens’ Clubs, among others. Disaster relief organizations and local businesses also co-sponsored it, while Kurashiki City and others provided support.

Groups supporting disaster-affected areas who took part in the Fukko Festival could be seen greeting one another warmly, as in the following exchange:

“Oh! How have you been? Thanks for your help the other day!”

“Good! How have things been with you lately?”

It offered a glimpse of the new connections that had formed within the Mabi community after the disaster.

Scenes from the “Fukko Festival in Mabi,” held January 26, 2020

The venue was the rotary in front of Kibinomakibi Station.

There were two parking areas: the west parking lot of “Life Town Mabi” and the parking lot at the Mabi Branch Office.

It was also easy to reach by train, just about a one-minute walk from Kibinomakibi Station.

Rain was forecast, but the day turned out to have beautiful blue skies!

The weather cooperated, and the event was held without a hitch.

During the day, it was warm enough to feel hot wearing a coat.

▼Walking around the venue, we spotted “Marby-chan,” Mabi’s local mascot!

No wonder she’s so popular with children!

Food and merchandise booths

Ten groups took part, including restaurants based in Okayama, disaster relief organizations, and a railway company.

▼This cafe was run by “Disaster Relief Group Gorilla.”

Visitors first headed to the main office to pick up tickets for complimentary “Fukko mochi” and pot-au-feu.

The Fukko mochi had just been pounded by members of the local community.

Watching the mochi-pounding in person really felt like the start of the new year.

First, three strong men pounded the mochi with gusto. They were perfectly in sync!

After that, children joined in, saying, “I want to try too!”

It was adorable to see them working hard as they firmly gripped the heavy wooden mallets.

You could choose from three kinds of Fukko mochi: kinako, anko, or sugar-and-soy-sauce flavor.

It was so generous of them to offer it for free.

The pot-au-feu was packed with vegetables and very satisfying.

It warmed me right up.

The food stalls offered everything from festival favorites like takoyaki, cotton candy, and grilled squid to stylish options like omelet hot sandwiches.

Every stall was popular, with lines forming here and there in no time.

There were also merchandise stalls selling handmade accessories and hand-knitted acrylic scrubbers.

▼These durable, hand-knitted acrylic scrubbers were just 100 yen for three!

There was also a health consultation corner at the venue.

In one section, the Korean restaurant Sarangbang was selling kimchi.

They told me that although the restaurant is closed, they are still making kimchi.

Sarangbang is known for its food and its interior, which looks out onto a charming garden—so much so that even I had heard of it.

As expected, the homemade kimchi was delicious!

I’m sure I’m not the only one eagerly looking forward to going back to eat at the restaurant.

Ibara Railway’s booth was giving away limited-edition commemorative badges to people who came by Ibara Railway.

▼ Bring this proof of travel to the station and exchange it for a badge.

Doesn’t it look like a giant ticket?

I was told it’s a reproduction of the old “onboard ticket.”

Apparently, these tickets were commonly used before transit IC cards like ICOCA became widespread.

Railway enthusiasts might love this!

The badges feature “Icchan” and “Hacchan,” the Ibara Line mascots.

They have a handmade feel that warms your heart.

There were also magnets for sale and a bookmark-making activity, so people who came to the festival by means other than Ibara Railway could enjoy themselves too.

▼ The “Yume Yasuragi-go,” featured on the bookmarks.

It passed along the tracks several times during the festival, so we could spot it from the venue!

Ibara Railway (Ibara Line) — A local railway that has served the community for over 20 years

Ibara Railway celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019. It operates just one line, the Ibara Line, connecting Soja City in Okayama Prefecture with Fukuyama City in Hiroshima Prefecture. The writer visited Ibara…

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Performances

Here’s a look at the performances held at the Fukko Festival.

Performance by Kibi no Makibi Taiko

The festival kicked off with a performance by Kibi no Makibi Taiko!

Drawn in by the sound of the drums, a large crowd gathered.

During the July 2018 torrential rains, their practice space was flooded, and their drums and costumes were damaged by the muddy water.

Everyone seemed to express with their whole bodies the joy of being able to play the drums.

Even their poised stances looked cool!

The performance was so powerful, as if they were putting their souls into every note, that I couldn’t take my eyes off them.

Street performance by Tochimochi

Next was a street performance by Tochimochi.

Tochimochi also works as a Kurashiki City Office employee.

He is also the leader of Tenryoza, a performing arts circle formed to cheer up those affected by the July 2018 torrential rains.

When he pulled off a difficult juggling trick, the crowd burst into applause!

The thrilling street performance and witty banter got everyone excited.

Guitar and vocals by Hayashi Yukio

The artist who treated us to a wonderful singing voice was Hayashi Yukio from Hyogo Prefecture.

Everyone listened intently to nostalgic songs, including Naomi Chiaki’s “Kassai” and Kazuhiko Ozaki’s “Mata Au Hi Made.”

To close, he sang Yo Hitoto’s “Hanamizuki,” with the wish that “happiness will continue for 100 years for everyone in Mabi.”

Chindon music and kamishibai by “the president of Japan’s largest dagashi store”

The chime went “chaka-chan-chan…” as a man in tall wooden clogs and a colorful kimono appeared.

The chindon performer had arrived.

“A kamishibai show with dagashi treats is about to begin!” he called, and before long a crowd of children was following behind him.

This slightly suspicious-looking man is apparently the president of a dagashi shop!

The kamishibai show began.

Even the children who had been playing energetically were now absorbed in the story.

At the end, dagashi were handed out with the words, “A present for children with a smile!” The children’s unguarded smiles brightened the whole area.

Bitchu Kagura by Hoyukai

Next was Bitchu Kagura performed by Hoyukai.

They performed two pieces.

One was “The Dance of Kotoshironushi no Mikoto,” wishing happiness for Mabi.

The other was “Susanoo no Mikoto’s Slaying of the Great Serpent.”

The Yamata no Orochi, the eight-headed serpent slain in this piece, is said to represent flood damage.

It was a story that truly resonated with Mabi’s determination not to be defeated by flooding.

I had thought kagura was a traditional art form with a high barrier to entry.

I was surprised that it could be performed with no stage, just a single curtain as a divider.

The audience was also exceptionally close to the performers.

The serpent-slaying performance was powerful, and the serpent moved as if it were real.

Adults and children alike watched, captivated, as if they were watching a superhero show.

When the serpent’s head was cut off, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.

Even I, seeing kagura for the first time, got goosebumps!

Choral performance by the Mabi Boys and Girls Choir

Next up was the Mabi Boys and Girls Choir.

The choir is made up of five girls who live in Mabi, ranging from elementary school to high school age.

The song that especially stayed with me was “Shiawase Hakoberu You ni” (“May Happiness Be Carried to You”).

I heard that the song was written by a music teacher who was affected by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Kobe.

Since then, it has been passed down and sung in many places as a song of recovery.

Mabi was hit by flooding.

When listeners heard the word “hometown” in the lyrics, they seemed to picture the scenery and people of Mabi.

Many people nodded as they took in the lyrics.

When the song ended, a huge round of applause erupted.

Though the group was small, every member delivered a clear, heartfelt voice. Their lively, rhythmic songs—with choreography and swaying from side to side—were full of energy!

It was a choir performance that gave you a boost.

Quiz and Hands-On Stamp Rally

The Fukko Festival had all kinds of activities to keep the children entertained.

▼ Lots of children were lined up for the bouncy play equipment.

There was also a Mabi quiz and a stamp rally. The rally was completed by visiting all four hands-on activity booths at the venue.

▼ Of course, I breezed through the Mabi quiz!

▼ At each booth you visited, you got a stamp, like this.

By around 11 a.m., a long line of families had formed at the activity booths.

The craft corner was the most popular!

Staff members showed visitors how to make rubber-band guns, spinning tops, and origami.

Each craft took about 10 minutes to complete.

Each person could throw three rings at the ring toss.

People were having fun, saying it was harder than they expected.

There was also a fun activity called ground golf.

The children received one-on-one instruction from elderly men in the senior citizens' club.

It was heartwarming to see local residents and children quickly become friends through traditional games such as beanbag tossing.

Once you had collected stamps from all four activity booths on your sheet and taken it to the main office, you received a gift!

It was an assortment of snacks and a stamp that disappears when rubbed.

From the Writer

With great food and performances, the Fukko Festival was more fun than I had imagined, and the time flew by.

It was also a day that gave me a sense of how the bonds within the Mabi community had grown much stronger, thanks to disaster-relief organizations and the people of Mabi.

The torrential rains of July 2018 left deep scars throughout Mabi.

Even more than a year and a half later, many people were still living in temporary housing.

I heard that they were still living with anxiety, separated from people they had been close to for many years.

At times like these, connections within the community and exchange among people of three generations can help prevent isolation.

I found the people of Mabi, who unite and support one another in difficult times, inspiring.

Fukko Festival in Mabi Information

Name	Fukko Festival in Mabi
Date	January 26, 2020, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Location	Yata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Admission (tax included)	Free (food and drink sold separately)
Website	Okayama Prefecture Federation of Senior Citizens' Clubs: Harebare Senior Okayama

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