Hello, this is Rikichi Izumiya from Finance Division.
 At 7:00 P.M., on Saturday, March 1st, 2025, people from the villages surrounding Higashi Futakuchi gathered at the Higashi Futakuchi Local History Museum, despite there still being a lot of snow on the ground.
 This annual Higashi Futakuchi Bunya Ningyo Joruri performance has continued for more than 350 years and is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, a traditional culture that came to this area from Kyoto. Just hearing that it has been passed down for 350 years makes me appreciate its significance.  What left a strong impression on me was that both the performers of the Deguno Mai and those who watched it all said in unison, "Every year cannot begin without seeing this Deguno Mai."

 This tradition has been passed down to the present day as one of the high points of the cold, agricultural off-season in winter. Unlike Bunraku, however, the story unfolds in a unique narrative style called Bunya bushi.
 For those seeing it for the first time, the story may be difficult to understand. However, before the performance begins, a kamishibai (picture-story show) is presented, carefully explaining the content of the performance. Honestly, I think I would have had a hard time keeping up without it.

 This Bunya Ningyo Joruri, passed down in Higashi Futakuchi, is facing challenges in preservation as the people inheriting it are aging. Currently, a little over ten performers present the Deguno Mai, but I assume that, including backstage roles, each person is taking on multiple responsibilities.
 Amid these challenges, Omihito Matsushita sensei from ICT has been participating as a performer in this Ningyo Joruri for the past five years, taking part in the annual performances. Additionally, faculty members and students from KIT have joined the Deguno Mai preservation society, learning the dance from experienced elder members while striving to inherit the traditions and culture of Higashi Futakuchi.

 The puppets used in Dekunomai consist of four parts: the Kashira (head), Shinbo (central rod), Kataban (shoulder board) and Te (hands). Each puppet is operated by a single performer. Although the puppets used in Deguno Mai are relatively simple in structure, mastering their manipulation demands considerable training.
 Additionally, the performers move in a distinctive manner, taking three steps forward and two steps back, while rhythmically striking the floor with their feet as they dance. This unique footwork creates a dance-like impression, which is why it came to be known as Deguno Mai. Rather than simply controlling the puppet, performers must become one with it—almost as if they are being guided by the puppet itself. This profound technique highlights the depth and artistry of the performance, leaving a lasting impression.

 It is truly moving that this Ningyo Joruri, which has been cherished by people for over 350 years, still remains in Hakusan City. At the same time, I feel that the efforts and dedication of those who continue to uphold this tradition are beyond measure.  The performance took place on the stage of the Higashi Futakuchi Local History Museum. While the space cannot accommodate a large audience, it retains the atmosphere of the past, allowing visitors to experience Ningyo Joruri up close.

 Watching Omihito sensei perform Deguno Mai, I suddenly felt as if I had traveled back in time to the world of 300 years ago. The lingering echoes of the Bunya bushi style, known as the "Naki-bushi" (weeping melody), along with the rhythmic sound of the performers’ footwork striking the floor, still resonate in my mind.

Rikichi Izumiya

Hello everyone. I’m James Taylor, one of the English teachers at Hakusanroku Campus. I’d like to tell you about a couple of Christmas events that took place in the neighbourhood during December, 2024.

 First, on Tuesday, December 10th, the workers from the Oguchi Social Welfare Council – one of whom was dressed as Father Christmas – delivered Christmas cakes to every household with children. This year we got a snowman, a Santa, and a reindeer. My children ate the snowman and reindeer, and I had the Santa.

 Then, on Wednesday, December 18th, I went to Oguchi Community Centre, which is just down the road from ICT, to participate in the annual English Café Christmas party. This year we had 11 children and 4 adults from the Oguchi, Yoshino, and Shiramine areas. We started the party by decorating the tree and taking pictures when it was finished. Earlier in the afternoon, the staff from the Oguchi and Shiramine Community Centres spent hours making pancakes using a British recipe. After we’d finished decorating the tree, everybody was given a pancake and some ingredients to decorate it with, like cream, fruit, and sprinkles. While the guests were eating, I read them a story: ‘The Snowy Day’ by Ezra Jack Keats. When everyone had finished eating, I read ‘Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus’ by Mo Willems, which was as popular this time as it had been in Shiramine in the summer!

 We played bingo and a game called Stick the Nose on Rudolph, where players had to stick a red magnet on a picture of Rudolph without looking. The children got much closer to the right spot than the adults! The party ended with a visit from Father Christmas, who brought a small present for everyone.

 As ever, the staff from the Oguchi and Shiramine Community Centres worked really hard organising the event and preparing bingo prizes, presents, and food and drink for the party. I always appreciate their efforts.

James Taylor

 Hello, this is Arihiro Kodaka, Dean of Student Affairs. This time, I would like to write about the details of the students' participation in community planning and management

 On Monday, September 23rd, 2024 (Autumnal Equinox Day), a marking event for the Asagimadara (*) (Chestnut Tiger Butterfly) was held in the field across from Hakusanroku Campus.

(*) The Asagimadara is a butterfly named for its wings, which are light blue with mottled patterns. It is a butterfly that migrates several thousand kilometers across the ocean. In order to track their migration patterns, the less powdery light blue parts of their wings are marked with the date and capture location using a permanent marker. The Asagimadara are attracted to flowers in the Asteraceae family, such as the Fujibakama flower (boneset) and the toxins in the nectar help them with reproduction and protection. Additionally, one of the characters in the anime Demon Slayer is inspired by this butterfly.

For information on last year’s Asagimadara marking event.

 2nd year students supported an event organized by the Tatsunokuchi Community Development Council, Hakusanroku Satoyama Revitalization Council, and the Asagimadara Fan Club. In a fallow field across from Hakusanroku Campus, fujibakama flowers are cultivated to attract the Asagimadara. In the Engineering Design class, the Agribusiness team of students started planning in April of this year, aiming to utilize Asagimadara as an environmental resource to boost the local community. Through creative ideas and a fresh, student-oriented perspective, they tackled the challenge of revitalizing the area.

 The students aimed to create continuous interactions between local residents and non-residents through the event, ensuring that everyone involved would have lasting memories. They put great effort into the planning and organization, incorporating many thoughtful details to achieve this goal.

Photo Spot

 A photo spot created by students was set up for everyone who came to see the Asagimadara, and many people took pictures there. I was happy to see visitors taking memorable photos at the photo spot, and I believe that we were able to respond to their desire to preserve their memories.

Making Goods with Elementary School Students

 Elementary school students who participated in the marking event spent the afternoon making original goods under the guidance of ICT 2nd year students. The goods were hair clips and magnets with Asagimadara images, and the elementary school students added decorations and finishing touches by devising color schemes and decorations.

 

Merchandise Sales and Hands-on Crafting Experience Activities.

 For those who stopped by the Sena Roadside Station, learned about this event, and observed Asagimadara, students sold a capsule toy key chain with an illustrated book describing the ecology of the Asagimadara. Additionally, a hands-on workshop was held where participants could use a laser utter to create their own keychains as a keepsake. These activities were part of a unique initiative by ICT students.

 The students thought about how local residents and the visitors could be involved in the project and implemented it. Afterwards, the students reflected on the event and voiced many opinions about how to make the next event even more fulfilling. The students who will take over in the next year are expected to take this feedback into account and make the event better.

 This year, perhaps due to the hot weather, the number of Asagimadara was very small, but I hope that next year many more Asagimadara will visit.

 Hello everyone. I’m James Taylor, one of the English teachers at Hakusanroku Campus.

 On August 27th, 2024, I went to Shiramine to hold an English Café event for primary school children. We originally planned this event for the summer of 2020, but for various reasons, we had to postpone it for four consecutive years. Last year, my parents went to Shiramine for an English Café event (https://www.ict-kanazawa.ac.jp/journal/25373/?mode=null), but this was the first time I’d been able to go and meet the children in Shiramine.

 We had eight schoolchildren from Shiramine, which is most of the children at Shiramine Primary School! We also had one from Hakurei Primary School. We started by introducing ourselves in simple English, and then did a quiz. For the quiz, the staff members at Shiramine Community Centre used tape to make a big A and B on the hall floor. I asked a question such as “how do you say トラ(tora) in English? Is it (a) tiger or (b) lion?” and the children moved to the letter they thought corresponded to the correct answer. I asked a lot of questions, and they did really well!

 After that, we had a drink, and the children ate some snacks while I read some English books: ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle, ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ by Judith Kerr, and ‘Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus’ by Mo Willems. That last book is great for getting the children to interact, as they have to shout “NO!” very loudly many times!

 The final activity was bingo. First, the children made their bingo cards by drawing pictures of the fruits I named. Then we played the game for real, with prizes for everyone.

 The children seemed to have a good time, and I enjoyed the event too. I’m very grateful to the staff of Shiramine Community Centre and Oguchi Community Centre, who always work so hard to organize English Café events and find participants. I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to do English Café for kids in Shiramine.

James Taylor

　こんにちは。英語科目担当のジェームス・テイラーです。
　2024年8月27日に白峰で子供向けのイングリッシュカフェを開催しました。実はこのイベントは2020年の夏に開催する予定だったのですが、いろんな理由で4年連続中止になってしまったのです。2023年の9月に僕の両親が白峰でイングリッシュカフェ（https://www.ict-kanazawa.ac.jp/journal/25373/?mode=null）を行いましたが、今回は僕にとって初めて白峰の子供たちのためのイベントでした。

　今回白峰小学校から8人と白嶺小学校から1人が来てくれました。（ちなみに、白峰小学校は全校生が10人程の学校です。）最初に簡単な自己紹介をしてからクイズをしました。クイズのために、白峰コミュニティセンターのスタッフの方々が床に大きなＡとＢの文字をテープで作ってくれました。僕は問題を出して（例えば、「トラはえいごでなんていうの？タイガー、ライオン？」）、子供たちは正解だと思う方に移動しました。たくさんの問題を出したのですが、みんなほとんど正解できました！

　次におやつタイムにしました。子供たちがお菓子を食べながら、僕が絵本を3冊読み聞かせしました：「はらぺこあおむし」（作：エリック・カール）、「おちゃのじかんにきたとら」（作：ジュディス・カー）、「ハトにうんてんさせないで。」（作：モー・ウィレムズ）。「ハトにうんてんさせないで。」は子供たちが何回も大きな声で「NO!」を言うところがあって、とても楽しいお話です。

　最後のアクティビティはビンゴでした。ビンゴをする前に子供たちは自分のビンゴカードを作りました。僕が英語でいろんな果物の名前を言って、子供たちがその果物の絵をカードに書きました。それからビンゴが始まって、みんな景品もあたり、とっても喜んでくれました。

　子供たちはイングリッシュカフェに参加して楽しそうでした。僕もやっと白峰の子供たちと会えてとても楽しかったです。白峰コミュニティセンターと尾口コミュニティセンターのスタッフの方々、たくさんの準備と、参加者の募集などをしてくださり、とても感謝しています。また次回、白峰でイングリッシュカフェをできることを楽しみにしています。

ジェームス・テイラー

 Hello! This is Sadé Moore, one of the Learning Mentors here at the Hakusanroku Campus and this is my first journal entry this year! At first, I struggled to figure out what to write about, but then I realized that a very important event will be occurring soon here in Ishikawa! From May 31^st this year, the largest festival in Ishikawa will be held for three days. This festival is called the Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival and one of the biggest events for the festival is the grand parade that takes place during the second day of the festival.

 This parade is a recreation of the entry of Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of the Kaga domain, and his family into Kanazawa Castle on June 14^th, 1583. This procession features hundreds of locals from around the Hokuriku region and usually has a famous Japanese actor playing the role of Lord Maeda and a famous Japanese actress playing the role of his wife, Maeda Matsu. Along with the Lord and his wife there are many other people dressed as the children of the Maeda Clan, samurais, ninjas, footmen, horsemen, noble ladies, and ladies-in waiting or 中臈（ちゅうろう）.

 I have lived in Ishikawa for five years now and I’ve always enjoyed the Kanazawa  Hyakumangoku Festival. However, my most favorite time of the Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival is when I am able to participate in the parade as a lady-in-waiting. This year will be my 3^rd time walking in the Hyakumangoku Parade as a lady-in-waiting to Maeda Matsu.  However, it can be a grueling of a task due to the fact that participants of the parade must walk from Kanazawa Station to Kanazawa Castle.  In the case of the ladies-in-waiting you’re doing it all in recreations of Sengoku Period kimonos, wigs, and geta, and the entire event takes up most of the whole day.

 The event is long, however; it is something that I look forward to every time I participate. The reward of seeing all the people lined up along the parade route and smiling and waving at you, and the surprise and then happiness on the faces of the locals is worth it. The fact that foreigners can take part in something that is considered very traditionally Japanese is something that many people including myself can enjoy.

 This year especially has a greater renewed meaning for me. The first time I participated in the Kanazawa  Hyakumangoku Festival was in 2019 right after I moved to Japan. It was such an amazing experience that I promised myself that I would do it again in the future. However, after that the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the Hyakumangoku Festival was canceled two years in a row.

 In 2022 the pandemic had finally been downgraded enough that they were able to host the festival again and I jumped at the opportunity to be able to participate in the parade again. That year had special meaning because after two years of difficult and hard times not only in Japan, but world-wide, it felt like being a part of the Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival was in some part bringing back happiness to the people of Hokuriku.

 This year, going into my 3^rd time participating in the festival, I also feel a great sense of meaning due to the New Years Day Noto Earthquake. Many of the people in the region suffered and are still suffering due to this tragedy. The recovery is still slow and many people in the area are still being affected. With the Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival taking place this year and being able to participate in the parade, I hope that it will bring even a little bit of happiness back to the Hokuriku area and make people smile, even if for only a moment.

 In the future, I hope that many more foreigners and maybe even ICT students will want to or will be able to participate in the Hyakumangoku Parade. Representation matters, and it would be nice to see the students of ICT take part in this great event and opportunity and be entrenched in something that represents the area where they are studying.

Sadé Moore

　こんにちは！白山麓キャンパスでラーニングメンターをしているシャーデー・モーアです。今年に入って最初のジャーナルです！まず初めに、題材について悩んでいたとき、もうすぐ、ここ石川県でとても重要なイベントが開催されることに気が付きました！2024年5月31日から3日間にわたって石川県で最も大きなお祭りが開催されます。このお祭りは「金沢百万石まつり」と呼ばれ、お祭りの最大のイベントの一つは、2日目に行われる百万石行列です。

　この行列は、1583年6月14日に加賀藩の初代藩主である前田 利家とその家族が金沢城に入城した様子を再現したものです。特徴は北陸地方から数百人の地元の人々が参加することと、有名な日本の俳優が前田 利家公役を演じ、有名な日本の女優が前田 利家公の正室、お松の方役を演じることです。また利家夫妻の他に、前田家の子弟、武士、忍者、従者、騎手、貴婦人や女官（中臈・ちゅうろう）などに扮した人々が大勢います。

　私は石川県に住んで5年になりますが、毎年金沢百万石まつりを楽しみにしています。一番の楽しみは、私が女官として行列に参加することです。今年は私にとって百万石行列にお松の女官として3回目の行列参加となります。行列参加者は金沢駅から金沢城まで歩くため、過酷な任務ではあります。女官としての参加は、戦国時代の着物やカツラ、下駄などを再現するため一日がかりです。

　時間がかかることですがそれでもなお、それが楽しみでもあるのです。行列の道沿いで多くの人が笑顔で手を振ってくれること、驚いたり喜んだりする表情を見るのはそれだけの価値があります。日本の伝統的行事に外国人が参加できるということは、私も含めて多くの人が楽しめることだと思います。

　今年は私にとって特に大きな意味を新たにした年です。私が金沢百万石まつりに初めて参加したのは、日本に来てすぐの2019年でした。とても素晴らしい経験だったので、また絶対に参加しようと心に誓いました。しかしその後、コロナ禍に見舞われ、金沢百万石まつりは2年連続で中止となりました。

　2022年にパンデミックがようやく緩和され、再び金沢百万石まつりが開催されるようになり、私は百万石行列に飛びついて参加しました。その年は特別な意味を持つ年となりました。2年間、日本のみならず世界的に困難で辛い状況が続いた後、金沢百万石まつりに参加することが、北陸の人々に幸せを取り戻すことにつながるような気がしたからです。

　3回目の参加となる今年は、元旦に発生した能登半島地震の影響もあり、とても意義深いものを感じています。地域の多くの人々がこの震災によって苦しみ、そして今なお苦しんでいます。復興はいまだ遅く、地域の多くの人々が依然として影響を受けている状況です。今年は金沢百万石まつりが開催され、私が行列に参加することで、少しでも北陸に幸せが戻り、たとえひと時でも笑顔になってもらえればと願っています。

　将来的には、より多くの外国人、そしておそらく国際高専の学生も百万石行列に参加したいと思ってくれることや、あるいは実際に参加できたらいいなと思っています。Representation matters,（アメリカで起こっているムーブメント。意味：自分と同じようなバックグラウンドを持つ人がロールモデルとなり、人々に多くの影響を与えることから、代表となる人のイメージは大切だということ）国際高専の学生がこの素晴らしいイベントやこのような機会に参加し、自分たちの学びの地域で象徴となる物事に深く関わっていけたら嬉しく思います。

シャーデー・モーア