Fox Lineage Association Proposes Food Stalls for the Three-Lineage Autumn Festival

As previously reported, the Dog lineage association in Fukagawa (chairman Koji Inui), the Fox lineage association in Kameido (chairman Jo Saotome) and the Bear lineage association in Fukagawa (chairman Toru Maruwa) have been working, since their October 17th agreement and the training sessions each began between the 19th and 22nd and a joint rehearsal on the 22nd, toward combining their three drum performances — Dog's "Aligning," Fox's "Calling," and Bear's "Settling" — into a single piece for next year's Three-Lineage Autumn Festival. On the 28th, Saotome put forward a proposal to the other two chairmen to add food stalls and carnival-style booths alongside the drumming. "Drumming alone doesn't make a festival," Saotome said. "It's the carnival booths that let both children and adults enjoy the whole day."

■ An Idea Rooted in a Merchant Lineage

As recorded in the paper's festival-coverage policy, the Fox lineage counts many merchant families among its members and is known as a bearer of festival stalls and carnival culture. Saotome himself runs a shop in Kameido. "Running a business, I know a thing or two about setting up a carnival booth," he said, explaining his proposal. "It would be interesting if each lineage brought its own flavor of food stall, arranged around the drumming from Dog and Bear." Inui of the Dog lineage responded, "Given our work in harbor security, we can easily supply hands for setting up and breaking down the stalls." Maruwa of the Bear lineage also seemed receptive: "We have many cooking families in the hill district, so we can help with the food itself."

■ On the Agenda for November 14th

As previously reported, the three chairmen's joint committee will hold its first meeting on November 14th. "Today was strictly an informal approach," Saotome said. "It will formally go on the agenda at the meeting on the 14th." He added, "If we can move the call for stall vendors alongside the previously reported plan to solicit a formal name for the combined drum piece from residents, the festival's momentum should build faster."

■ Local Reaction

A shopping district representative in Fukagawa said, "Just the fact that the three lineages are moving together for the first time is already the talk of the neighborhood. If stalls come too, next year could start to feel like a real festival." Still, with both venue and date undecided, some voices worry about the event growing too large too quickly.

■ Dividing Roles With the Drum Performance

Saotome also touched on the drum piece's structure — Dog's "Aligning," Fox's "Calling," Bear's "Settling" — saying, "The Fox lineage's role is 'Calling.' The drums call people in, and the stalls keep them there. Only with both do you get a real festival." Inui responded, "Since we're on 'Aligning,' it only makes sense for us to help line up the stall queues too," while Maruwa agreed that the contrast would suit the occasion: "Having the carnival liveliness pick up right after the 'Settling' drum feels like a proper festival."

■ Close in Timing to Next Year's Joint Coming-of-Age Ceremony

Though a separate event from the previously reported trial joint coming-of-age ceremony next January, Saotome noted, "Having events from different clans fall in the same year is a lot for the organizers, but if children from different lineages already know each other's faces from the autumn festival's stalls, they won't be strangers to each other at the January ceremony either" — pointing to a possible link between the two events down the line.

■ What Comes Next

Details such as venue, date, and the number of stalls are expected to take shape from November onward through the joint committee. This paper will continue to follow the festival's preparations.