And now we are to see the Honen-odori--which begins at eight o'clock.
There is no moon; and the night is pitch-black overhead: but there
is plenty of light in the broad court of the Guji's residence, for a
hundred lanterns have been kindled and hung out. I and my friend have
been provided with comfortable places in the great pavilion which opens
upon the court, and the pontiff has had prepared for us a delicious
little supper.
Already thousands have assembled before the pavilion--young men of
Kitzuki and young peasants from the environs, and women and children in
multitude, and hundreds of young girls. The court is so thronged that it
is difficult to assume the possibility of any dance. Illuminated by the
lantern-light, the scene is more than picturesque: it is a carnivalesque
display of gala-costume. Of course the peasants come in their ancient
attire: some in rain-coats (mino), or overcoats of yellow straw; others
with blue towels tied round their heads; many with enormous mushroom
hats--all with their blue robes well tucked up. But the young townsmen
come in all guises and disguises. Many have dressed themselves in female
attire; some are all in white duck, like police; some have mantles on;
others wear shawls exactly as a Mexican wears his zarape; numbers
of young artisans appear almost as lightly clad as in working-hours,
barelegged to the hips, and barearmed to the shoulders. Among the girls
some wonderful dressing is to be seen--ruby-coloured robes, and rich
greys and browns and purples, confined with exquisite obi, or girdles
of figured satin; but the best taste is shown in the simple and very
graceful black and white costumes worn by some maidens of the better
classes--dresses especially made for dancing, and not to be worn at any
other time. A few shy damsels have completely masked themselves by tying
down over their cheeks the flexible brims of very broad straw hats. I
cannot attempt to talk about the delicious costumes of the children: as
well try to describe without paint the variegated loveliness of moths
and butterflies.
In the centre of this multitude I see a huge rice-mortar turned upside
down; and presently a sandalled peasant leaps upon it lightly, and
stands there--with an open paper umbrella above his head. Nevertheless
it is not raining. That is the Ondo-tori, the leader of the dance,
who is celebrated through all Izumo as a singer. According to ancient
custom, the leader of the Honen-odori [8] always holds an open umbrella
above his head while he sings.
Suddenly, at a signal from the Guji, who has just taken his place in the
pavilion, the voice of the Ondo-tori, intoning the song of thanksgiving,
rings out over all the murmuring of the multitude like a silver cornet.
A wondrous voice, and a wondrous song, full of trills and quaverings
indescribable, but full also of sweetness and true musical swing. And
as he sings, he turns slowly round upon his high pedestal, with the
umbrella always above his head; never halting in his rotation from right
to left, but pausing for a regular interval in his singing, at the
close of each two verses, when the people respond with a joyous outcry:
'Ya-ha-to-nai!-ya-ha-to-nai!' Simultaneously, an astonishingly rapid
movement of segregation takes place in the crowd; two enormous rings of
dancers form, one within the other, the rest of the people pressing back
to make room for the odori. And then this great double-round, formed
by fully five hundred dancers, begins also to revolve from right
to left--lightly, fantastically--all the tossing of arms and white
twinkling of feet keeping faultless time to the measured syllabification
of the chant. An immense wheel the dance is, with the Ondo-tori for
its axis--always turning slowly upon his rice-mortar, under his open
umbrella, as he sings the song of harvest thanksgiving:
[9] Ichi-wa--Izumo-no-Taisha-Sama-ye;
Ni-ni-wa--Niigata-no-Irokami-Sama-ye; San-wa--Sanuki-no-Kompira-Sama-ye;
Shi-ni-wa--Shinano-no-Zenkoji-Sama-ye;
Itsutsu--Ichibata-O-Yakushi-Sama-ye;
Roku-niwa--Rokkakudo-no-O-Jizo-Sama-ye;
Nanatsu--Nana-ura-no-O-Ebisu-Sama-ye;
Yattsu--Yawata-no-Hachiman-Sama-ye; Kokonotsu--Koya-no-O-teradera-ye;
To-niwa--Tokoro-no-Ujigami-Sama-ye.
And the voices of all the dancers in unison roll out the chorus: