Translator's Note: For a brief time in the late 1860s (at the end of the Edo period), a fanatical dance called “Eh-janaika” spread in various parts of Japan. It was conducted by the masses, in connection to believers of the Ise faith. While playing the taiko and shamisen, the words “Eh-janaika” were chanted in time with dance steps, and this phrase has since come to describe the entire movement. Commoners who were struggling financially would, as a group, barge into the homes of their village headman, eat and drink his alcohol, steal his money and goods, all while singing and dancing in a festive manner. This served to undermine and overthrow their hierarchical relationship, as well as that between lender and borrower. These acts of revolt are also seen as representing ideals of social reform. The Kanto district refers to the eastern central region of Japan, with Tokyo as its core. The Kansai district refers to a western central region of Japan, surrounding Kyoto and Osaka. Mino and Mikawa are areas that lie between Kanto and Kansai. Tsugaru jongara music is a very rhythmical and traditional music from Aomori Prefecture, in northern Japan. The shamisen is a banjo-like traditional instrument with a long neck and three strings. In the south of Japan (Okinawa Prefecture, for example), the snake-skin is used for making the instrument. A taiko is a traditional Japanese drum. Japonesia is a term coined by the novelist Toshio Shimao, refering to a cultural region linking Japanese islands with many islands in the East China Sea, regardless of national boundaries. The Showa period is from A.D.1926 to 1989. Ippen was a monk who was active in the 13th century. In his efforts to spread Buddhism to the people, he began a dancing form of chanting, where he danced to the words of “Namu Amida Butsu.” “Namu Amida Butsu” originates in the Sanskrit phrase which means to believe in Amitabha, but because it came to Japan via China, it was transmitted with written representation in Chinese characters, 南無阿弥陀仏.
