August 24, 2019, about 13 months after the July 2018 torrential rains.
The annual summer event in the Yata district of Mabi, which could not be held last year, was held this year!
Residents, including members of “Yata Community Development,” gathered to organize the event for the local community.
Children performed on stage as their parents watched over them. Everyone wore happy smiles, and the event’s handmade, community-run atmosphere warmed the heart.
Here, we mainly introduce the day’s stage performances!
The information provided was current when this article was published in August 2019. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the “Bamboo & Friendship Festa”
The “Bamboo & Friendship Festa” is a summer festival in the Yata district, held every August since 1999.
It is organized by the Yata District Community Development Promotion Council and a summer festival executive committee formed by the Social Welfare Council.
Apparently, it has become a tradition for a young local person in their twenties to serve as executive committee chair and lead the festival.
Senior members of Yata Community Development support the younger people from behind the scenes, and everyone from local youth to older residents works together to plan and run the event.
The “Bamboo & Friendship Festa,” held on August 24, 2019
As of August 2019, half of the residents of the Yata district were living in temporary housing outside Mabi, so the event began at 3:30 p.m., about two hours earlier than usual, to make it easier for everyone to return.
The venue was the plaza in front of Kibinomakibi Station.
Parking was available in the west lot of “Life Town Mabi.” The venue was easy to reach from Kibinomakibi Station and convenient for gathering.
There was a little rain at times, but it never became a downpour, and the event was held without a hitch.
Food and drink booths
A total of 23 groups set up booths, including local Mabi organizations, businesses serving older people and people with disabilities, volunteer groups, and restaurants from around Okayama.
The food and drink booths, run mainly by local groups, were bustling with ice cream, curry, yakitori, local beer, Mabi okowa, takoyaki, shaved ice, and much more.
Hand fans were sold for 100 yen, and there was also a promotion where every other fan won a prize.
I won a foaming net for washing my face!
The fans were printed with the poster that won the top prize in the poster contest. The illustration depicting the festival atmosphere is sure to bring a smile to your face.
Stage performances
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony featured a performance by the drum and bugle corps of Mabi Kanariya Nursery School.
Their tempo was a little off in places, but they gave it their all, raising their flags and beating the drums while watching their teacher conduct.
The little children of Mabi brightened the opening with their cheerful energy.
Concert by Mabi Junior High School and Mabi Higashi Junior High School
Next was a performance by the brass bands of Mabi Junior High School and Mabi Higashi Junior High School.
Mabi Junior High School was flooded in the July 2018 torrential rains, and classes are currently being held in temporary school buildings constructed on the grounds of Mabi Higashi Junior High School.
As a result, the brass bands of Mabi Junior High School and Mabi Higashi Junior High School now practice together, and they performed jointly that day as well.
The teacher in charge also told us that students living in temporary housing outside Mabi have to catch the school bus home at 4:30 p.m., making it difficult to find enough time to practice together.
Even under these difficult circumstances, they gave a lively performance. Both the performers and the audience swayed and clapped along, and the crowd really got into it.
Color guard by Soleil
Next, Soleil performed a color guard routine.
Do you know what color guard is?
It is a performance section that uses equipment such as flags and rifles to create visual effects.
They tossed flags and rifles high into the air and caught them perfectly!
Their graceful performance to the music had us completely captivated.
A flag printed with the Seto-Ohashi Bridge fluttered in the breeze, adding to the spectacular performance.
Oedo Tama-sudare
They performed the familiar “Ah, well now, ah, well now…” routine, “Oedo Tama-sudare.”
Some performers had been affected by the July 2018 torrential rains, but everyone cheerfully lifted their feet and sang as they performed with the bamboo screens, bringing smiles to the audience too.
Kibi no Makibi selection
Then came the first-ever “Kibi no Makibi selection” this year.
The event selected a modern-day Kibi no Makibi, and the person chosen as Mr. Mabi was given the opportunity to appear in a video promoting Mabi.
There are no age or place-of-residence requirements for applicants.
Seven people who wanted to “support Mabi and help bring it to life” applied, then took to the stage dressed as Kibi no Makibi!
It was introduced that five of them lived outside Mabi and had taken part in photo-cleaning volunteer work.
One volunteer shared how, when a mud-covered photo had been cleaned and returned to its owner, the owner received it in tears, bringing the volunteer to tears as well.
One person who travels from Nagoya for five hours each way to volunteer spoke of experiencing Mabi’s natural beauty and the kindness of its people, saying, “Mabi is my second home.”
People promoted their love for Mabi in a variety of ways, including one who performed a song they were proud of.
The youngest participant was a fourth-grade student at Yata Elementary School who lives in Mabi.
He seemed a little shy as he answered the emcee’s questions, but that orange outfit really suits him.
The winner was chosen based on the volume of applause from the audience, and fourth-grader Yamaguchi was named the first Mr. Kibi no Makibi Grand Prix winner!
The Grand Prix winner received a product from Teori, a furniture maker that uses bamboo from Mabi, while the two runners-up received Pione grapes grown in Mabi.
Finally, all seven gathered onstage for a commemorative photo. They look quite the part!
Songs and Dance by Brilliant
Next up was Brilliant, a dance-vocal group belonging to an entertainment school in Okayama Prefecture!
The group consists of four current second-year high school girls.
Their powerful song and dance were introduced with the words, “We hope this song will give everyone a little more energy.”
One of the members is from Mabi, and she looked happy to be performing there.
They performed with towels waving overhead, and their cheerful, energetic voices rang out across Mabi.
Japanese Taiko Drumming by Kibi no Makibi Taiko
The final performance was by the members of Kibi no Makibi Taiko.
The July 2018 torrential rains flooded the place where their drums were stored, causing extensive damage to the drums, drumsticks, and costumes. Thanks to support from across Japan, however, they were able to perform.
The members, dressed in matching T-shirts printed with “Let’s do our best, Mabi,” filled the air with the powerful sound of their drums.
The rhythm of the drums conveyed a powerful spirit of support for recovery.
From the Writer
As of August 2019, around half of the approximately 700 households in the Yata area of Mabi were still living away from Mabi.
Recovery is still underway, but people who now live away from Mabi gathered to enjoy performances by local children and stalls run by groups from Mabi, sharing smiles and celebrating together.
It was an event that lifted our spirits with the strength of Mabi’s residents, who are determined to “overcome the disaster and bring the community to life.”
A year has passed since the July 2018 torrential rains, and there has been less media coverage of the situation in Mabi.
Yet this festival reminded us how important it is to continue sharing how Mabi is moving forward, one step at a time, toward recovery.
Bamboo & Friendship Festa Information
| Name | Bamboo & Friendship Festa |
|---|---|
| Date | August 24, 2019 |
| Location | Plaza in front of Kibinomakibi Station |
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