Hello, thank you for visiting “INABANA.JP” today.
Can you read my English? Or is it hard to read?
My English is not very good, but I hope you enjoy it. I will continue to study English.
We struggle with verbal and written communication because of the different languages used in different countries, but I know that the same problems can arise within a single country. It is called “dialect.” What about in your country?
The use of dialects has decreased over time, but they are still used somewhat. Even in “Wakayama Prefecture” where I live, young people nowadays do not use dialects very often, but about 50 years ago they were common… (^_^;)
The title of today’s article, “SeppeTobe”, is in Japanese. However, most Japanese do not know the word “SeppeTobe”, nor do they understand its meaning. This is because it is a dialect used in some parts of Kagoshima Prefecture.
“Seppe” is said to stand for “Sei-Ippai” (work hard) and “Tobe” (jump).
So what is it that you have to jump so hard for?
This is actually an old festival that takes place in June in Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture. ”SeppeTobe” derives from the symbolic actions performed in it.
That’s what you see in the second half of the video, the circle of young people and their movements. It is more like a ‘muddy dance’ than a ‘HardJump’, but this action originally had the meaning of kneading the soil of the rice fields.
In other words, it is an event to “plough the rice field” and to pray for the “first stage of rice cultivation”, the most important for the Japanese. In case you are wondering, the large puppet in the middle of the video is an ancient deity called ‘Deodon’.
As you know, rice is the staple food of the Japanese people. Although Japan’s food culture has changed with modernisation, rice is still an essential part of the Japanese diet.
The rice paddies used to produce rice and the work of rice cultivation have been the foundation of Japanese culture since ancient times.
Many countries around the world hold festivals related to food. Similarly, many festivals in Japan are related to rice farming.
「SeppeTobe」 is a “men’s festival” because it is “plough the rice field”, which requires strong force in a short time. In contrast, “rice-planting”, which requires continuous and careful work, is「Saotome」, a “women’s festival”.
Saotome, dressed in a kimono with a straw hat (or towel wrapped ) and a shoulder sash.
Yes, ‘Saotome’ refers to the rice-planting woman herself, whereas ‘SeppeTobe’ was derived from the action.
It is likely that many men also participated in the actual rice planting process. However, the first to start was in the role of “Saotome”. This may also have been an expression of prayer to the “god of rice fields”.
In Japan, the word “Hare-no-hi（ハレの日 / Hare-Day / Special Occasion.）” is cherished as a joyous occasion. (Note: the word “Hare-no-hi（晴れの日 / clear sky）” is pronounced the same but has a different meaning).
SeppeTobe” and “Saotome” are both “Hare-no-hi” during the year.
The young men and women who are the centrepiece of that ‘Hare-no-hi’. They must have been the stars of that day and time, the stars of their dreams.
Today, rice cultivation in Japan is almost entirely mechanised and both SeppeTobe and Saotome can only be seen in festivals, but there is a hint of nostalgia for the olden days.
