神輿を担ぐ｜Carrying an Omikoshi｜2021/05/20

日本橋のオフィスビルの並ぶ一角に福徳神社がある。その宮司さんにお話を聞いた。周囲のビジネスマンの方々が朝からお詣りにきたり、ちょっとした息抜きの憩いの場になっているそうだ。集まりがあると皆ちゃんと出席するが、盛り上がりに欠ける。ある時みんなで神輿を担いだそうだが、その後の集会の雰囲気が全く変わったという。静かに話を聞くだけだった人が、積極的に何かをやろうとか、飲み会が増えたりとか、コミュニケーションが一気に活発化したそうだ。コロナでお祭りも中止になっているけれど、今だからこそ何か神輿的なものが必要なんだろうなぁ。（絵と文：サカキテツ朗）
Fukutoku Shrine is located in a corner of the Nihonbashi office buildings. I talked to the priest. He said that the surrounding businessmen came to visit there in the morning and it was a place to relax and take a break. When supporting people attended the meeting, they were polite but did not have excitement. One day they had a chance to carry an Omikoshi. After that the atmosphere of the subsequent meetings changed completely. People who just listened quietly tried to do something positively, the number of drinking parties increased, and communication became active at once. The festival has been canceled in Corona, but I wonder if something like an Omikoshi is needed now. -Text and illustration by Ted Sakaki