Tag ‘Michiko Chida’
“New Apprentices Start Their First Year at the Kodo Apprentice Centre” by Michiko Chida
The entrance ceremony for the Year 33 (2014-2015) class of Kodo Apprentices was held on April 6 and now one week has passed. They are probably so nervous about beginning this new lifestyle, but all of the 12 new apprentices have been doing well. I will introduce their week of firsts with some pictures.
Dance lesson with Chieko Kojima
Ranjo-san’s shinobue (bamboo flute) making workshop
Taiko lesson with Tomohiro Mitome
(They do not use bachi (drumsticks) in their first lesson: they use Japanese fans and towels.)
Rice field work (Selecting rice seeds)
Standing by the rice fields and singing a song facing out to sea
Kiyoko Oi teaches all the new apprentices how to make chopsticks from one shared bamboo stick
“One Year Down, One to Go! Update on the 2nd-year Apprentices” by Michiko Chida
After seeing off the apprentices from the year above them in January, there were only 8 new 2nd-year apprentices living together at the Apprentice Centre until they welcomed the new 1st-year apprentices in April. They had to adjust their relationship and learn to cooperate as such a small group. And, they had to deal with the harsh Sado Island winter for the first time.
Through this season, they really had to face each other and take a good look at themselves. But, what they gained from this time must become their energy for their new start as 2nd years.
The apprentices came through this challenging season and by the end of March they’d had a lot of new memorable experiences.
Yoko Fujimoto’s “Voice Circle”: 2 days/1 night with Yoko Fujimoto, spent learning songs and listening to the stories. At the end, they sang Hinei Ma Tov to each other.
“The Opening of Sado’s Festival Season” by Michiko Chida
April 1st, Sado’s Festival Season is About to Begin!
First up is the village of Suginoura in Akadomari. Lucky them, they were blessed with great weather for their festival this year! The indigo blue sea is right in front of you when you are in their village and you can almost feel the sea in your body just by standing there.
“Taking Part in a Festival for Recovery, ‘Ryori Damashii’” by Michiko Chida
On March 2, Yoshikazu, Yoko and Motofumi were invited to join a festival called “Ryori Damashii” (meaning Ryori Spirit) in the Ryori area of Ofunato City, Iwate. They gave a heartfelt performance as part of our ongoing “Heartbeat Project.” A year ago, we were introduced to this festival’s organizers through our connections with various people concerned with the disaster-affected areas in Tohoku. Each local area has been making an effort to recover, but everything is still a work-in-progress. Three years have passed since the Tohoku Pacific Earthquake and the committee planned this festival to reawaken local love for their hometown. ▶ read more
[Kodo Apprentice Centre] “Helping Out with the Tea Ceremony at Aikawa Hinamatsuri Festival” by Michiko Chida
On March 9, there was a Hinamatsuri Tea Ceremony at the historic Sado Magistrate’s Office site in Aikawa. This ceremony was run by students from elementary schools, junior high & high schools on Sado Island, and the 2nd-year Kodo apprentices joined the ceremony for the first time.
