 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
Kanto illustrated guide
|
 |
 |
Kamishimo (formal attire of samurai) with crests of the Satake family given by Lord Yoshiatsu In the Edo Period there were no traditional costumes for the Kanto festival. Since Lord Yoshiatsu came to see it at Kamitorimachi in 1831, the supervisor started to wear Kamishimo given by Lord Yoshiatsu. |
| Kanto costume in the Taisho Era (1912-1926) was a long hanten (short coat originally for craftsmen) For the present Kanto costumes, people wrap half-size sarashi (bleached cotton cloth) around their stomachs and wear a pair of white cloth and short hanten (with insignia for each town team). Also they wear a pair of zori (Japanese sandals) with white tabi (Japanese socks) and tie hachimaki (Japanese headband) made of tenugui (Japanese towel) with a spotted pattern. It looks very smart. However, in a document from the middle of the Edo period, there are drawings of people carrying Kanto wearing various other clothes such as hundoshi (Japanese loincloth), happi (workman's coat) and haragake (workman's apron). Later the Meiji Emperor visited the city in 1881 and also members of the lmperial family came to Akita Prefecture. To perform in front of them, people started to wear the same costumes like yukata (cotton kimono) and long hanten with insignia for their town team. It is said that in around 1921 the costumes became the present style. |
 |
 |
Godai is the form with God Gohei Nagashi symbolizes the history of the Kanto festival, which comes from Neburi Nagashi. Gohei (strips of white paper and linen) are always put on the tip of Kanto (bamboo poles with lanterns). They are symbolic forms of God and the original purpose of Kanto since Neburi Nagashi was to put misfortune into gohei and float them downstream. At present, representatives of each town team float gohei into the Asahi River from Kariho Bridge the following morning after the last day of the Kanto festival. Also it is traditionally said that a woman can safely deliver a baby when she wraps the linen used for gohei around a finger and candles used for Kanto are lit, so people value them highly as a lucky charm. |
| Kanto decoration which craftsmen have worked on with various ideas Since the time of the Akita clan hanagasa (umbrella with flowers) and isami ningyou (brave dolls) have been decorated for Kanto. The central figures of Kanto were workmen such as carpenters, steeplejacks and plasterers. Steeplejacks also acted as firefighters so in particular they are said to have worked out the ideas of matoi and isami ningyou used as Kanto decorations. Matoi was made by people of Yokamachi and isami ningyou started from Honcho Roku Chome. The second chairman,Jiro Hayashi, suggested Hanagasa, which used to be made with bamboo, be made into what is now the present form. There were some skilled people who had two hanagasa of 6 kg each on kanto pole of about 50 kg. |
 |
