[Extracurricular Activity Experience] "I felt the closeness of the people of Kobe" - Interview with a student who participated in the Horiwari Jizo-bon festival as a volunteer

I had a summer assignment to submit an article for my class "Evaluation and Practice," so I wanted to get involved with the local community in some way. Also, I hadn't been to the festival, and there was a yukata rental service, so I decided to go.HChan also accepted the invitation, so I thought "Yes!" and went with her.

As we were dancing together in the circle, I looked behind me and was happy to see that some little kids were watching my dance and joining in too.

On the final day, there was a rumbling of thunder, so I was a little disappointed that I wasn't able to finish the song that I had been practicing for quite a long time.

I had to remember the choreography while I was dancing, and I had to keep an eye on the little kids around me who seemed to be having trouble. There were so many things to keep in mind that it was difficult.

There were over a dozen songs, and even after practicing, there were some parts that I couldn't remember. I was desperate to remember them and dance to the many customers, telling them, "Let's do it!"

I'm originally from Osaka, but the people of Kobe are so open-minded, they accepted me even though I don't live in the same area, they taught me, and helped me tie my kimono obi. I thought they were really kind people.

I'm not from Hyogo either, but they welcomed me so warmly that I thought, "Wow, this feels like home!" Even when I made a few mistakes during practice, they kindly said, "Start from the right," which really gave me the feeling of Hyogo and made me feel at home.

I'm also not from Hyogo, but I was given a very warm and hospitable welcome. I think it's difficult to join a neighborhood association, a community that's already established in the area, later in life. I actually had a bit of a failure in high school. But everyone was so kind and welcoming, and even someone like me who's extremely socially awkward was able to have a great time, so I thought it was really warm.

It's the importance of cooperation. If I had been alone I wouldn't have thought of participating in the first place, but I ended up inviting friends and making new friends. I really felt the positive effects that can be created by connecting with people. The people running Jizo Bon told me, "It becomes more lively with the young people coming," and I realized that just showing your presence can lead to good things, and that's "cooperation."

Recently, I've had less and less interaction with the local community, but I felt once again that it's absolutely necessary to be involved with festivals like this and with the local people. None of the three of us are from Hyogo at all, but we were really welcomed warmly and at home, and we danced in a harmonious atmosphere the whole time. I think there is a shortage of people to carry on the tradition, but I felt once again that we need to somehow preserve it.

I was reminded once again how important it is to laugh and talk to others. I was able to connect with people I'd never spoken to before, even people I didn't know where they lived, and they cared about me, but where I live, there are practically no local get-togethers, so I thought it was a really wonderful place.

think!

I'm from universityUNIVERSAL PASSPORTI thought about going to see it, but if you have the opportunity, I think you should definitely go. I think this experience will lead to something, so I hope it will inspire you to go and see it at least once, rather than just lounging around at home.

myself tooUNIVERSAL PASSPORTI often check my work, but I think volunteering is a life experience that will be useful in the future. As I'm a psychology major, I feel that interacting with people is especially meaningful. When I meet someone I don't get along with while volunteering, I can take home the reasons why this happened and think about them. I think that if you're a psychology major, you can use this experience in your graduation thesis or research, and I think you should do it.

If you're even slightly interested, I think you should definitely do it. I think more people regret not doing it than regret doing it. I think you should definitely do it, and even if you fail, it can be useful in unexpected ways later on, so I definitely recommend doing it.