You can also find clear images and movie data of Tsunabi at Ina town (Ibaraki pref. Japan) official webpages.

"Tsunabi" fireworks in Ina town (Aug. 1996)

"Tsunabi" is an old japanese of a train of gunpowder and in this ceremony it also means playing marionet with a lot of fireworks.

Tsunabi in Takaoka, Aug. 23, 1996

Tsunabi of Takaoka style is performed at Atago shrine in Takaoka from 19:00 to 21:00 on 23th in August. The impressive event of this feastival is "Kurikomi", cleansing the building of the shrine with fire. This exciting ceremony is performed at the begining of the tsunabi.

Kurikomi

A parade with torches enters into the place where the shrine building is located.


Several men sprash fire to the building.
Suddenly gunpowder makes big sound, and scares people (SOUND of the atomosphare).

Tsunabi

Opening statement(240Kbytes)
The sentences are in traditional, old japanese.

"Tozai-touzai.
Sassoku goran-ni iremasuru-wa,
otogibanashi-wa, Hanasaka-Jijii,
otogibanashi-wa, Hanasaka-Jijii. 
Kono saki, ayatsuri no gi ni sourawaba,
shi-sonji no dan, hira ni goyousha,
mazu wa kono tame, koujou sayou."


Ladies and gentlemen,
now we will show you a play titled
"Fairy tale: the Hanasaka-Jijii (miracle flower producer),
 fairy tale: the Hanasaka-Jijii".
As the mechanism is so complex,
I beg your tolerance to our mistakes.
(I'm not sure the meaning of the last line ;-) ).


Music for tsunabi(170Kbyte,)

"Sambasou," a nou-play for happiness


"Hanasaka-Jijii," the miracle flower porducer make dead trees bloom.
The marionette is out of this scene (the low left one may be).


"Urashima-taro," a fisher on the right side (...can't be seen) is
visiting a goddess palace under sea (the center of the scene).

Between the tsunabi plays

Fireworks and "Ondo" dances are performed.

Statement for each firework(200Kbyte)
Everytime when a firework is performed,
a short message is stated in traditional japanese.

"Tsuzuite no gohounou,
Ina machi wa Obari, Joyo-kanko-taxy dono,
kore gohounou.
Naka no shikake wa go-sun no kiku."


The next dedicated firework is...
Joyo-kanko-taxy company in Obari in Ina town
dedicated the firework.
The scale is 5-sun (about 17cm) and the style is "Kiku (chrysanthemum)".

Dedication is received till 20:30.

Fireworks

Stands

Tsunabi in Obari, Aug. 24, 1996

Tsunabi of Obari-Matsushita style is performed at Atago shrine in Obari from 19:00 to 21:00 on 24th in August. This time I couldn't attend at the ceremony itself and the photos are taken just after the ceremony. We can enjoy the tsunabi marionette itself more than Takaoka style because we can reach nearer the playing field.

Shrine building


"mikoshi," sacred palanquins


Stands


Lanterns are put on gates of houses.

Back to "Traditional Events around Tsukuba"