The Voices of Young People Resonate in the Morning in Northern Kanto, circa 1985-86

The Voices of Young People Resonate in the Morning in Northern Kanto, circa 1985-86
On a winter morning when tekiyas from all over Japan gathered at Hachiman Shrine for the first market of the northern Kanto region, the shrine's precincts were filled with cold air and feverish tension. What stands out amidst the excitement are the short greetings of the young men. The exchange of a few syllables, such as "chihassu," "gokuro sansu," and "okkaressu," tightened the atmosphere and had a vocational resonance that instantly indicated hierarchical relationships, a sense of camaraderie, and an attitude toward work. Around 1985-86, when there were no cell phones, face-to-face confirmation was absolute in tekiya society, and the voice symbolized the work itself. What was demanded of the younger generation was the ability to eliminate waste and convey the necessary spirit and courtesy in a single voice. In those short words were condensed the lingering scent of the apprentice system, the rigors of physically demanding mobile labor, and the aesthetic of communicating wi
thout speaking, which is common in the culture of craftspeople. The first market is an important event that determines the direction of the year's earnings, and the order of the place is supported by the tension of each voice. The voices of the young people echoing in the cold morning air symbolized the atmosphere of the times and the weight of their livelihood, and their brief greetings alone had the power to reveal the framework of a society.