Oma Inari Shrine Festival. Aug. 10, 2024.

Oma Inari Shrine Festival. Aug. 10, 2024.

Oma Inari Shrine Festival. (大間稲荷神社例大祭)
Oma Town, Shimokita County, Aomori Pref. Aug. 10, 2024.

During the day, a light truck stopped beside me as I trudged along, enduring an attack of bloodsucking flies. The old man knew how many flies there were and took pity on me.
Fed up with the attacks that had been going on for the previous day, I asked him to give me a ride in his car.
He did not ask my identity at all, just told me about bloodsucking flies, about the mountain work he does for a living, about winter and snow, and about life as a normal person.
Hitchhiking for the first time in decades, my planned two-day walk was shortened by one day. As a result, I unexpectedly stumbled upon this festival.
During the day, I was saved by a roadside Jizo, and at night I came across a procession of floats of the god of fortune with ghostly people.
It was a good summer.

この日の日中、アブの襲撃に耐えつつとぼとぼ歩く私の横に止まった軽トラ。あのじいさんはアブが多いことを知っており、哀れに思ったのだと言った。
前日から続く襲撃にさすがに辟易していた私は素直にじいさんの車に乗せてもらった。
じいさんは私の素性をまったく尋ねもせず、アブや生業の山仕事、冬と雪、普通に生きる人生、そんなようなことだけを訥々と話した。
数十年ぶりのヒッチハイクは、２日かけて歩く予定だった行程を1日縮め、その結果、思いがけずこの祭礼との邂逅を呼び込んだ。
昼に路傍の地蔵にふと手を差し伸べられ、夜に亡霊たちを従えた山車の巡行に遭った。
いい夏だったと思う。