After ourexperience, we went to the roadside station (“michi-no-eki”) Nagomi to enjoy some traditional Japanese culture, in the form of a drumming performance and traditional puppet theater performance. Wachi daiko have a particularly special history, as they have been passed down as the shrine drums at Fujiwara Shrine in Hirono, Kyotamba.

The concept behind these taiko drums, we were told, is that, “The sounds of the drum beat are the palpitations felt by a child in its mother’s belly.” What a cool idea!

Ningyo joruri is a traditional form of puppet theater that has been passed down since the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868), and is designated a cultural property by Kyoto Prefecture.

This Wachi ningyo joruri puppet theater is an especially famous kind of puppet theater, too, as it was publicly acknowledged by the education minister and given the Autonomous Towns and Villages Service Award at the opening ceremonies of the Kyoto Prefectural Office.

We had a backstage tour, too, and it seemed that the international students really enjoyed getting to see the traditional puppets and drums up close!

Here are a few of the comments from our participants:

・It was my first time harvesting soybeans. It made me really like steamed black beans!

・It was a good event for making friends. I want to join in a few more!

Through farming in the fields and the experience of watching the traditional puppet theater during this international student event, our participants were able to truly experience for themselves some wonderful sides of Kyoto they may not have known through their school studies alone. All our participants were beaming!

It was also really nice to see all of the BN2 staff gently looking after the international students as we moved from place to place, and during the farming experience. I hope there will be even more events in which Japanese and international students can learn and interact together in the future!

(Takashi Nobira, Doshisha University Policy Department)

Text: Koto College
https://kotocollege.jp/archives/16950

Warming up to the old and learning the new: International students visit one of Kyoto’s kiyomizu-yaki pottery kilns!
https://www.studykyoto.jp/en/magazine/2020/02/03/kiyomizu-pottery/