先日，ブルガリアの首都ソフィアでお神輿が上がった。今年2019年は日本とブルガリアにとっての「3つの周年」，交流開始110周年，国交樹立80周年，国交再開60周年の3つが重なる年である。

Recently I managed to carry mikoshi in Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital. This year 2019 has
been “Japan-Bulgaria triple anniversary” as three anniversaries overlapped. The 110
years anniversary from the beginning of the exchange, 80 years anniversary for
diplomatic relations establishment and 60 years anniversary for the start of diplomatic
relations.

◆この特別なタイミングでお神輿を上げようと言うことになったのは，一人の留学生がきっかけだった。彼の名はアレックス。日本での約4年間の留学で，数十回お神輿を担いだ。彼は日本の神輿文化を愛し，日本にいる時から神輿を故郷で担ぐことが夢となった。

◆ It has been decided to carry mikoshi during this special occasion especially because
of an exchange student who’s name is Alex.
He did an exchange that lasted 4 years in Japan and while living there he carried
mikoshi countless times. He loves Japanese culture and since he was in Japan his
dream was to carry mikoshi in his hometown.

◆2019年の10月19日，日本大使館とブルガリアにある日本友の会が共催となる「武道の日」にお神輿は担がれた。実はヨーロッパにあるお神輿がもともとあった春日神社に祀られている神様は武道と深い関わりがあり，今回のお神輿はとても意味深いものである。参加していたブルガリアの武道関係者も日本からやってきた武道の神様とあって，興味津々だ。

◆ On October 19th 2019 it has been organized the “Martial arts day” by the Japanese
Embassy and the Association of Japanese people that are living in Bulgaria. During
this exact same day also mikoshi has been carried.
As a matter of fact, originally mikoshi that is in Europe enshrines a God from Kasuga
Shrine (Kanagawa Prefecture) that has a strong connection with martial arts therefore
this occasion has been deeply meaningful.
People that were involved in martial arts got in touch with this God from Japan linked
with martial arts and for them it was extremely interesting.

◆神様を呼ぶ「降神の儀」を行ったのは，有名な「武士道」を書いた新渡戸稲造の子孫である新渡戸涼恵神職。彼女により儀式が行われたこともご縁の力であるかもしれない。アレックスを中心にたくさんの偶然が重なり，お神輿がついに上がった奇跡を，日本では「神縁」と表現することがある。日本ではしばしば感じることがあるが，遠いブルガリアでこれを感じると言うことにはとても驚いたと同時に，お神輿やご縁の力を感じた。

◆ The Priestess that embodied the Deity inside mikoshi, Suzue Nitobe, is a
descendant of the famous Inazō Nitobe who wrote the novel called Bushidō – The
Soul of Japan. It might have been a sign of destiny also for her this opportunity to
held the ceremony. With Alex there has been many unexpected events that have
taken place, eventually we managed to make his dream come true by carrying
mikoshi, in Japan this is what we call “God’s miracle”.
In Japan we experience this often, but in a far country such as Bulgaria it’s something
unexpected and I truly felt mikoshi’s power together with God’s faith.

◆お神輿が上がった当日は，爽やかな晴れ模様で，暖かい一日だった。担いでいた人たちも初めてのお神輿に初め戸惑いながらも懸命に汗を流し，強く叫んでいた。「日本の神様に初めて触れることが出来た。本当に感謝します」お神輿を担ぐ前に行う降神の儀と，担いだ後の昇神の儀に臨む眼差しは皆変わっている。言葉や地域が違っても，共に神輿を担ぐことで日本人の大切な思いを伝えることができると改めて確認した。

◆ The exact day we carried mikoshi there was a fresh and clear sky, it was a very
warm day. There were many people that carried it for the first time and despite initial
difficulties they all made their best by sweating and cheering with loud voices.
“I’m so moved, this is the first time I get to feel Japan’s God. I am really thankful for
this”. I could see people’s gaze and felt this change from the beginning when God
was embodied until God’s ascension at the end of the procession. I had again the
confirmation that even though language and nation are different, by carrying together
mikoshi everybody has thoughtful and affectionate feelings towards Japanese people.