#BIKEtoFestival I often ride to festivals all over the country to see them, but I try not to research systematically where and what kind of festivals are happening. I prefer to let them pop up in the news or newspapers, or hear about them through word-of-mouth, and if I think "that looks interesting!", I jot it down in my calendar. It’s fun to encounter and discover things I don't know much about.
As I keep these notes, I sometimes start to see areas where I think, "Aren't there a lot of wild festivals around here?" One such place is the Noto Peninsula.
When I Googled the "Abare Festival," which I had noted for July 5-6, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it was being prepared for this year as well. This is because it is a region that has suffered significant damage from the Noto earthquake.
It is not hard to imagine that they probably have bigger things to worry about. Even so, if they are going to hold it, I want to see it no matter what. Festivals are about spirit.
I decided that the first thing I could do for the reconstruction of the Noto Peninsula was to go to the site without getting in the way, and I started planning my ride.
I started my ride from Takaoka, at the base of the Noto Peninsula on the Toyama Prefecture side. Shortly after starting, I noticed the incongruity of cracks and steps in the road and "Danger" signs posted on houses being inserted into the ordinary landscape like a glitch.
As I rode north along the coast, the distortion began to grow. All the road joints had been paved with new asphalt, telling the story of how the road had been shifted. There was no problem with riding, but many buildings were still left untouched. In the same region, you could turn a corner and find places where all the buildings had collapsed, and I could imagine that the way the ground shook varied considerably depending on the nature of the terrain.
What was very impressive while riding through the Noto Peninsula was that there were almost no houses built by major housing developers. The scenery of houses with black "Noto tiles" on their roofs, clapboard walls, and white plaster walls had a sense of unity and was very beautiful. They were not all the same design, but had differences in detail and were built individually according to how they were used. The scenery that Osamu Ishiyama wanted to recreate in Izu and the streetscapes of Koto that Ryotaro Shiba highly praised were things that existed here in the Noto villages as a matter of course. It seems that the town in Wajima is a cultural heritage site.
Even in that beautiful landscape, due to the earthquake, many roofs were covered with vinyl sheets, tiles had fallen off, and houses had collapsed. My heart ached when I read an article in which a local tile shop expressed regret that the houses had collapsed because of the weight of the Noto tiles. I can't say anything rash because it involves people's lives and property, but it is truly a shame to lose this wonderful row of houses. Isn't there something that can be done...?
I rode along the coast, camping out in parks (or empty lots?) as I headed north. The communal bath in Wakura Onsen was open, and the public bath in Ushitsu was also having special business hours, which I was grateful for.
My destination was the "Abare Festival" held in Ushitsu, Noto Town. When I entered the fishing port town, where squid fishing boats were lined up, the roads in the port area were undulating due to soil liquefaction, and the embankments were cracked and seawater was coming in. The damage to the buildings looked better than in other areas, but it was noticeable that walls and roofs were peeled off or tilted, turning them into abandoned houses.
However, the town was full of energy from the festival that had already begun. The sounds of drums and flutes could be heard everywhere.
It is said that there are nearly 200 festivals on the Noto Peninsula where people carry lanterns called Kiriko. What makes the Abare Festival unique is that, in addition to that, there is a ritual of enshrining a portable shrine (mikoshi) in a shrine while throwing, crashing, and burning it. It is said that it originally started when a rough Gozu Tenno (ox-headed heavenly king) was invited from Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto during an epidemic. I feel that the spirit of overcoming difficulties is still being carried on today in the sense that it is a festival to overcome hardship.
What was impressive was the considerable participation of locals relative to the size of the town. There were nearly 40 Kiriko lanterns, each requiring dozens of people to carry, which was large-scale enough that it didn't seem like a typical port town. Naturally, the passion was also high.
Each has its own style of carrying; some people carry it with a cigarette or drink in one hand, while others keep carrying it with full power until they get bumps on their shoulders. I was struck by how deeply ingrained the festival was in the society and bodies of the people in this region. Everyone is super cool.
It seems that only a dozen selected members can carry the two portable shrines that are dedicated separately from the Kiriko, and it is the leader of each shrine who decides this just before the event. The young members pleading, "Pick me!", were also intense. Recently, such strict, athletic-like hierarchies are frowned upon, but I don't think all of society needs to be dyed in sophisticated, urban sensibilities.
The procession, where they carried and destroyed the portable shrine, oblivious to the pain and heat as they entered a trance, was truly amazing. Watching it, I felt like I was going to lose my spirit first.
This time, instead of saving on accommodation, I decided not to be cheap with food, so I ate mostly sushi and sashimi. I was thinking that the pickled spear squid (okizuke) was especially delicious while riding, when I encountered a giant squid.
The impact of the earthquake was even greater in the areas of Koijigahama and Suzu City. During the Great East Japan Earthquake, I arrived at the scene two months after it occurred, and at that time, a large number of volunteers were already proceeding with the removal of rubble, but here, even after more than half a year, it was still mostly untouched.
I pedaled to try and go from Suzu towards Wajima, but all routes were collapsed along the way and closed to traffic. I had been optimistic that the roads would be restored, but I was naive. It doesn't seem like the local area has the luxury to post such information, so it is necessary to check the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's website.
The temperature was 35°C. I had ridden tens of kilometers into a strong headwind, but I stood stunned for a while at a place where the cliff in front of me had collapsed on a large scale and the road had disappeared, and then I turned back the way I came.
The video shared in the notice from the Abare Festival torii gate restoration crowdfunding, to which I donated, was also wonderful, so please watch it.
Abare Festival Official Website
https://abarematsuri.jp/
TODAY’S RIDER
BIKE
| Frame | ZUNOW | Z-1 |
| Tire | SimWorks by Panaracer | Volummy Tire |
| Touring Bag | Porcelain Rocket | El Gilberto / ALBERT / Nigel |
WEAR
| Pants | Yamatomichi | 5-POCKETS SHORTS |
| Rain Wear | Yamatomichi | UL All-weather Hoody |
| Tops | monokusaracing | monokusa tanktop |
| Cap | Welldone | Jet Cap |
| Shoes | QUOC | Night |
| Sandal | Bedrock Sandals | Cairn Pro II |
CAMP
| Tent | Outdoor Research | Helium Bivy |
| Pad | Yamatomichi | Minimalist Pad (5mm) |
| Sleeping goods | Nanga | MINIMARHYTHM |
Notes on ride equipment
A 3-day, 2-night camping trip, averaging about 100km per day, mostly on-road. The weather forecast anticipated rain or cloudy skies, with temperatures between 18-35°C.
When there are many things I want to see and I want to cover distance, UL bikepacking equipment is truly helpful. By loading all the luggage on the bike and only carrying the camera, snacks, and valuables on my body, physical fatigue is minimized.
During the rainy season, there was a high possibility of passing showers, so the waterproof saddle and front bags were also useful as a shelter for the camera. Porcelain Rocket is a legendary brand that established the style of bikepacking, and I wish they would make a comeback somehow...
The clothing was my usual summer riding style. Yamatomichi's 5-Pocket Shorts are truly perfect for riding. Tank tops have no stress on the shoulders, are breathable, and are lightweight and small as luggage. This should be used more by cyclists. The Jet Cap with a long brim from Welldone is also good for protection against sunburn and rainwater. For long-distance riding, the softer-soled QUOC Night, and for walking, the Bedrock sandals are essential for trips like this where you both ride and walk.
As for camping, it was more like "sleeping outdoors" gear. Information about campsites was scarce, and because the distance I would ride was uncertain, an outdoor sleeping style worked out well. It’s not quite comfortable, but it’s enough for sleeping.