Screening and Explanation of the "Kami no Hanashi" Ocean Folktale Animation at the Minano Town Community Center Lecture "Discovering Minano's Past"

The "Ocean Folktale Town Project," promoted by the Association of Japanese Folktales, in collaboration with Minano Town, Saitama Prefecture, screened the ocean folktale animation "Kami no Hanashi" at the community center lecture "Discovering Minano's Past" held in Minano Town on March 16 (Monday).

This project is implemented as part of the Nippon Foundation's "Umi to Nippon Project" (Ocean and Japan Project), which aims to connect people through the sea to pass on a rich and beautiful ocean to the next generation.

Information about the ocean folktale animation "Kami no Hanashi" from Minano Town, Saitama Prefecture, and related information about Minano Town, Saitama Prefecture, can be viewed here:

https://uminominwa.jp/animation/98/

The screening was held as part of the senior citizens' class within the community center lectures. The folktale was shown at the "Discovering Minano's Past" lecture, where participants reflect on life in the past based on old photographs, tools (folk implements), and diaries from Minano Town, and discuss old wisdom.

During the explanation, Mr. Mochizuki, curator of the Minano Town Board of Education, used the river god and sea god appearing in the folktale as clues to explain that the Arakawa River is connected to the sea, and that during the Edo period, the subject of this folktale, there were actually divine tools related to sailors from Minano Town, a mountainous area, who were active in the vast ocean.

The folktale, which has a clear punchline, was highly acclaimed by the participants due to its short length of 5 minutes, filling the venue with laughter. Through the animation, it served to convey the connection between the region's sea and history, and to deepen understanding of the culture connecting rivers and seas.

The "Ocean Folktale Animation" videos and images can be utilized for children's study groups, town events, planning and packaging of regional products, etc.

Prior application and approval from the Association of Japanese Folktales are required for use.

Please check here for details:▼

https://uminominwa.jp/kitei/

Organization Name: Association of Japanese Folktales

URL: https://www.nippon-mukashibanashi.or.jp/

Ocean Folktale Town Project

This project aims to convey Japan's "connection with the sea" and "pride in the region," which are deeply related to the ocean, to children and pass it on to the future. We select high-value stories that contain lessons about the sea from the intangible cultural heritage of folktales from across Japan, materialize them as "Ocean Folktale Animations," and archive them for future generations. We also certify regions where these ocean folktales have been passed down as "Ocean Folktale Towns" and work together to promote them.

Official Website: https://uminominwa.jp/

Official Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@uminominwa

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/uminominwa

The Nippon Foundation's "Umi to Nippon Project" (Ocean and Japan Project)

The ocean supports the lives of Japanese people in various ways, sometimes providing peace of mind, excitement, and inspiration. To ensure that everyone, especially children, recognizes the current situation, such as the deteriorating environment in the ocean, as their own issue, and to expand the circle of action to pass on the ocean to the future, this is a project promoted by All Japan.

https://uminohi.jp/

Keywords: Nippon Foundation, Umi to Nippon Project, SDGs, Folktales, Saitama, Animation, Screening Event, Ocean, Minano Town, Sailor