【演奏について】
この曲は苫前町豊饒太鼓保存会の「羆嵐」（くまかぜ）という曲で、夏ごろから練習を重ねてきました。短期間の練習で覚えることが難しいところもありましたが、豊饒太鼓保存会の皆様のご協力により演奏することができました。この場をお借りしてあらためて御礼申し上げます。
【about performance】
Hojo-Daiko, or The Drum Piece for An Abundant Harvest, is a kind of wadaiko, or a traditional Japanese drum. Hojo-Daiko represents the worst animal attack that happened In Tomamae in Hokkaido in the winter of 1915. Also, it expresses the Tomamae people’s deep gratitude for
their forerunners, and the wish for the development of their hometown.
The Prologue to Hojo-Daiko, or The Drum Piece for A Good Harvest
　
In December of 1915, this bloodcurdling tragedy happened in a small village in Hokkaido.
A gigantic brown bear, which had missed the chance to hibernate, attacked the pioneers and killed seven people.
After the bear was finally taken down, there was a furious snowstorm for several days, as if the soul of the bear had possessed the storm. The villagers called it ‘The Bear Wind’ and they just stood in fear of it.
The drum piece that we are going to play now is made of four parts, based on this historical tragedy.
Act 1: The strength and strong-mindedness of the pioneers, and their prayer for the success in the new land.
Act 2: The appearance of a gigantic bear, and people running around in a panic.
Act 3: The battle between the villagers and the man-eating bear, and the relief and the joy after the bear was shot down and killed.
Act 4: Gratitude for those pioneers who overcame the tragic accident and devoted themselves to opening up the land.
Also, the prayer of the townspeople for the continuous development of Tomamae.