日本を代表する火祭りで、毎年8月2日から7日までの期間中には、国内外から約300万人が訪れるという青森ねぶた祭。迫力満点のねぶたや熱狂的に跳ねるハネトとともに、祭りを盛り上げるのが「囃子（はやし）方」だ。青森市出身でハネト経験はあるものの、リズム感に自信のない記者が囃子方の太鼓演奏を体験した。同市の文化観光交流施設「ねぶたの家 ワ・ラッセ」で、施設事業部の工藤正之さんと吉岡隆さんに指導していただいた。太鼓の打ち方には、勇ましい音を響かせる「進行」と静かな音色の「戻り」があり、今回は「進行」に挑戦した。ねぶた祭でよく聞く演奏法は大変複雑で難しいため、初心者向けの簡単なリズムを教えていただいた。法被を羽織り、太鼓をたたくばちを手にすると、身の引き締まる思いがした。ばちは想像以上に軽く、1本90グラムほどだという。「ドン・ド・ドンドン…」
太鼓をたたくと、音の反響の大きさに驚いた。大勢の来館者を前にした体験に気恥ずかしさを感じながらも、たたいていると徐々に慣れてきた。リズム良くたたいていたつもりだったが、工藤さんからは「これじゃあ、ハネトは跳ねにくいよ」と指摘されてしまった。難しいテンポにも挑戦しようとしたが、工藤さんの手本を目にした途端に“戦意喪失”。本番で寸分狂わぬリズムで奏で続ける、囃子方の技術の高さに感心した。結局15分ほど同じリズムでたたいたが、飽きるどころか太鼓の魅力にのめり込んでしまった。ねぶたに情熱を燃やす市民の気持ちが分かった気がした。館内には、実際に出陣したねぶたも展示されており、本番さながらの気分を味わえる。花がさをかぶってハネト体験もできるため、祭りに向けた練習にはぴったりだ。囃子方体験では、手振り鉦（てふりがね）と太鼓を体験できるが、団体のみで事前予約が必要だという。太鼓の面白さや難しさを知り、今年のねぶた祭では、ねぶたやハネトはもちろん、祭りを盛り上げる囃子方にも注目したい。
14日(土)
★ねぶた囃子生演奏＆ハネト体験ショー 11:00～ 13:00～ 15:00～ ねぶたホール(有料)
15日(日)
★ねぶた囃子生演奏＆ハネト体験ショー 11:00～ 13:00～ 15:00～ ねぶたホール(有料)
土曜日、日曜日、祝日は体験ショー開催
14th Saturday
★ Nebuta musical accompaniment live performance & haneto experience show 11:00 ～ 13:00 ～ 15:00 - Nebuta hall (pay)
15th Sunday
★ Nebuta musical accompaniment live performance &ハネト experience show 11:00 ～ 13:00 ～ 15:00 - Nebuta hall (pay)
I can experience it on Sunday on Saturday in a pay zone on a holiday.
Aomori Nebuta Festival that approximately 3 million visit by fire Festival on behalf of Japan every year from the inside and outside the country during periods from August 2 to 7th. With Nebuta of the force perfect score and haneto jumping enthusiastically, it "is musical accompaniment (grow) one" to enliven a festival. I was from Aomori-shi, and, as for the haneto experience, the reporter that a sense of rhythm did not have the confidence experienced a drum performance of the musical accompaniment although there was it. The culture sightseeing interchange facilities of the city "were house waraltuse of Nebuta" and had Masayuki Kudo and Takashi Yoshioka of facilities Division instruct it. There were "progress" and "the return" of a quiet tone to let a brave sound affect how to shoot drums and challenged "progress" this time. Because the technic to hear by Nebuta Festival well was very complicated, and it was difficult, I had the rhythm that it was easy for beginners tell me. When I put on a happi coat and had the wrath of Heaven to beat a drum in my hand, I felt as if the body was tightened. The drumstick is lighter than expected, and it is said that it is one of them approximately 90 grams. "Don ド Don Don" … "
I was surprised at the size of the reaction of the sound when I beat a drum. I was gradually getting used while feeling bashfulness in the experience that faced a large number of visitors when I swatted it. I intended to swat it well, but "then it has been pointed out this rhythm by Kudo, ハネト was hard to jump". As soon as was going to challenge a difficult tempo, but saw an example of Kudo; "the fighting spirit loss." I admired technical high bit musical accompaniment that I continued playing with rhythm not to be out of order in a public performance. I swatted it with the same rhythm for approximately 15 minutes, but have fallen into the charm of the drum after all far from getting tired. I felt like having understood a civic feeling to burn with passion for Nebuta. Nebuta that took the field is really displayed and, in the hall, can taste the feeling just like the public performance. Because I am covered with a hat adorned with flowers, and the ハネト experience is possible, it is good to the exercise for the festival. In the musical accompaniment experience, I can experience a gesture gong (てふりがね) and a drum, but it is said that pre-order is necessary only in a group. I know fun and the difficulty of the drum and, by Nebuta Festival of this year, want to pay attention to musical accompaniment to enliven a festival not to mention Nebuta and haneto.