ケンカ七夕祭り/気仙町けんか七夕太鼓

今から約900年前から行われている、気仙町けんか七夕まつり。
山から切り出した太い藤づるで、樹齢50年以上の杉の丸太を山車にくくりつけ、力強い太鼓が鳴り響く中で、相手の山車とぶつかりあう勇壮な祭りである。けんか七夕太鼓としては、山車が各町内を練り歩くときの「歩み太鼓」、山車が休んでいるときの「休み太鼓」、山車と山車をぶっつけ合うときの「けんか太鼓」と３種類ある「はやし」を続けて演じるものである。

The Kesen-cho Kenka Tanabata Festival has been held since about 900 years ago.
Thick wisteria vines are cut out from the mountains to attach 50+ year old cedar logs onto a float. This is a majestic festival where these floats collide with one another while powerful taiko drums are being played. The three types of hayashi music played by Kenka Tanabata Taiko are: “Ayumi (walking) taiko”, played while the floats parade through each town, “Yasumi (resting) taiko”, played while the floats are resting, and finally “Kenka (brawl) taiko”, played when the floats are colliding with one another.