=== English ===
This "Kawagoe Festival" English version clip was edited to give to Salem city of Oregon in the U.S.A. This opportunity was that the pictures taken by Mr. Satoshi Munakata; a folk photographer living in Kawagoe were presented to Salem as a sister city of Kawagoe city. You will understand about Kawagoe city and its traditional culture in the beginning of this clip, that's why MICROMEDIA added to tell the American people about the atmosphere and the background of Kawagoe Festival, which could not be imaged through pictures only.

Kawagoe city is getting busy these days and more, NHK's (Japanese National TV Station) very popular serial drama "Tsubasa" has been on-air since 2009 spring locationing in Kawagoe for a year.
However, in the first half of the 1990s - "Lost Decade", this clip was taken then and even the main street was not so crowded. Several festival carts could not parade cause of their economic problems. But it was the really time for the residents to put enthusiasm for their traditional festival. Then, Kawagoe festival was held based on the calendar; every October 14 & 15, so tourists were not as many as the present. We remember the word by one chief of a town and he said at close "I thought here were only old people. But today, many of young people came to join. I am really relieved and we will not abandon our town." Some years later, festival was shift to the weekend, guard was increased, and festival carts were all display-lined up in front of Kawagoe city hall.

In March, 2009, Satoshi Munakata Photo (monochrome) Exhibition "Kawagoe 1979 - 2008" was held at JCII Photo Salon. We, exactly found the past Kawagoe in the many of his pictures and remind the images as we assist-went around with him. Electric wires on a main street were buried in the ground and Kawagoe Festival Hall was opened by city government. But we should mention the power of people: one merchant "Tanakaya" put a Jinrikisha (ricksha) on Kashiya Yokocho (Cake Street) as a photo spot and reproduced a room of early Showa era etc. to establish a major sightseeing place here in Kawagoe. Merchants keep their traditional stores, artisans keep their original creation, suburbs keep their traditional performance and Kawagoe area occupy an advantageous location near Tokyo. Such people's spirit and the convenient location are quite related to a large turnout at Kawagoe Festival now.

Enjoy watching Kawagoe Festival in the 1990s (1993 & 1994) with analog film.

Kawagoe Festival: October 14&15, 1993 and October 14&15, 1994
Kagura: April 19, 1995
Ashi-Odori: April 14, 1995
Ohayashi: April 15, 1995

(C) Produced by Virtual Creates / MICROMEDIA
Video Camera & Edit: Kunio Monji
Translation & Narration: ichico Monji
Cooperation & Advice: Munakata Satoshi Photo Office - http://munakata.eyedia.com
Special Thanks to: K.K. Puranzu-sha, Cafe Restaurant Horloge - They provided us video spots.

=== Japanese ===
この英語版の「川越まつり」は、川越市の姉妹都市であるアメリカ合衆国オレゴン州セイラム市に、川越市在住の民俗写真家、宗形慧 さんの写真が贈られることになり、それを契機に編集したものです。

このビデオの撮影された1990年代前半は、いわば「失われた10年」の時代であり、一番街の人出でもさほど多くはありませんで した。しかし、不況の時にこそ、お祭りは地元の人々で盛り上がるものです。まだ、暦どおりの日時で祭りが行なわれた時代であり、 それだけに、観光客も今ほど多くはありませんでした。祭りの終わりに、「老人ばかりなってしまったと思っていたけれど、今日はた くさんの若い人たちが祭りに参加してくれ、まだまだここも捨てたもんじゃないと安心しました。」という内容の挨拶で締めくくられ たことを覚えています。そして、しばらく後には、祭りは土・日に変更され、安全のための警備も増え、市庁舎に近い広場には、山車 が揃うようになりました。

一番街の電線を地中化し、まつり会館を開設した市の力もありますが、菓子屋横丁に人力車を置き撮影スポットとし、広い店内には昭 和初期の室内の再現など、ここを観光名所にしたてあげた田中屋さんの力、そして伝統の店を守った商人・職人の創意工夫、近郊の方 々の伝統芸能、さらに東京に近いという江戸時代よりの地の利、これらがあってこそ、今の川越まつりのにぎわいがあるのだと思いま す。

1990年代の古き川越まつり（1993年、1994年撮影）を、アナログの映像でお楽しみください。 (less info)