Kite Lines - Vol.3 No. 1 - KiteLife

Story and Photographsby Carl Poehler, Jr .On May 5th, 1980, the people of Sagamihara,Japan, will mark the 150th annualflying of the giant kite, a festival of colorand culture . Interrupted only once byWorld War II, this impressive ceremonybegins on Children's Day (formerly Boys'Day), which is one of the important holidaysin Japan and is part of Golden Week,so called because many festivals and observancesoccur at this time . Some Japaneserefer to it as Golden because they workonly a few days and are free to celebrate,rest, relax and enjoy the remainder, andthis is contrary to their normal work ethic .But for the inveterate kitefliers there isno rest . All over Japan, kite groups springinto action and their lively festivals aboundeverywhere . Carp windsocks fly fromhouses in cities, towns and farms . Kitesdot the skyscape . Many are tethered to afield post, where the farmer can till andenjoy the flight that signals his expressionof the glory of the season .The kitefliers' holiday is full of franticactivity as kites for centuries have beenthe ultimate statement or expression ofthe Japanese vernal rituals . I compare tovotive prayers the many kites that arededicated and flown in honor of a firstbornson . The young parents' prayers,hopes and pride ride with that kite as itventures aloft to brave the vagaries ofwind and achieve a successful flight, symbolic,perhaps prophetic, of the victoriesto be won by the newborn of their union .Sagamihara is 60 miles from Tokyo'sShinjuku Station . It is a little over anhour's ride on a rapid transit train . Uponarrival at Sagamihara, a taxi is recommendedfor transportation to the festivalsite, which is just a short distance fromtown . (The members of our tour tried thebus, went in the wrong direction, endedup in a farmyard asking directions bywaving hands and using inadequate vocabularyand finally were rescued by a helpfulpolice patrol who radioed for a taxi .)The flying area is on a hill . There is anasphalt road with a masonry wall along theleft side and a dirt field on the right about100 yards wide, running parallel with theroad . Beyond the field, there is a slight riseand dense tree growth edges the clearing .The wind seems to flow up the hill followingthe road and being funneled along bythe trees, creating an ideal flying spot .At the lower end of the field to theright, a raised platform stands with colorfulred and white cloth draped from thehandrail to the ground . It has a flat roofedtop with balloons, flowers and bannersdancing around the edge . TraditionalPreparations for flying the great kite ofSagamihara : top, braiding the bridle lines ;center, a kite anchor ; bottom, repairingdamage before the next flight .Japanese music is playing on loudspeakersand women in kimonos are posturing,turning and stepping in unison, some ofthem on the stand and others in front ofit . The entire sight is colorful, traditionaland very Japanese .Just beyond, to the left, is a ponderousframe of cedar timbers, stoutly bound togetherwith heavy rope . The center isfilled with fieldstones for ballast . On topof the frame and every member are stackedsandbags, two and three deep, and thewhole massive pile is tied to a groundstake that Paul Bunyan might have driven .Two stout poles back-brace the wholeagainst overturning. The immovable object .This imposing anchor gives a prescienceof things to come .The kite tether is fastened to andsnaked from this crib, the rope being overone inch in diameter . My eyes follow itsline across the field, past a tent commandpost, with tables and chairs beneath forrest, refreshment and shelter for officials,police, politicians and press, on throughthe legs of onlookers to the hands of runningmen, their aqua hapi coats and lightstraw hats identifying them as the kiteteam, pulling the heavy line, having a tugof war-and winning!Suddenly it appears . Swooping upvertically, it fishtails left, right, left, twinrope tails waving from each lower corner,