／22　4度の式年遷宮で、社会の変化をウオッチ

　京都大学に留学中、ドナルド・キーンさんは時間を見つけては、他の町へも足を延ばした。1953年10月には、伊勢神宮の式年遷宮の式典に参列するため三重県伊勢市へ向かった。松尾芭蕉が「おくのほそ道」の旅を大垣（岐阜県）で終え、1689（元禄2）年の式年遷宮に向かった、その足跡を追いたかったのだ。通常は20年に1度、社殿などを造り替える行事だが、敗戦後の社会的混乱もあってこのときは24年ぶりだった。そのタイミングで日本に滞在していたことは幸運だった。少し長くなるが、自伝からその時の様子を見てみよう。

I learned in September 1953 that the renewal of the Great Shrine at Ise, normally performed every twenty years but delayed this time because of the war, was to take place the next month. At the end of The Narrow Road of Oku Basho mentions going to Ise to witness this ceremony, and I was eager to follow in his footsteps.

I had no idea how to get invited to the ceremony, so I visited the nearest major Shinto shrine, the Kitano Temmangu, to ask for advice. I met the chief priest and this led to establishing friendly relations with him and his family that lasted throughout my stay in Kyoto. In October we went together to Ise.

The beauty of Ise, from my first glimpse of the Isuzu River and the magnificent trees, quite overwhelmed me. There had been a heavy rain the night before, but the water in the river was pellucidly clear. I followed the other worshippers in washing my hands and rinsing my mouth before approaching the shrine buildings along the gravel path. I had visited other Shinto shrines, but the experience here seemed totally different because of the special, holy atmosphere.

When I reached the Great Shrine, I followed the others in dropping a coin in a wooden box. No -- it was probably a bill rather than a coin; in those days the only coins were of 5 or 10 yen and 10-yen bills were more common than coins. I bowed my head and clapped my hands. I don't remember what I prayed for. It could hardly have been for more than what I was actually enjoying, the peace and beauty of Ise.

The ceremony of the renewal of the shrine would not take place until it grew dark, but for hours before people sat on matting, patiently waiting. The invitations to the ceremony specified that men must wear either formal Japanese costume or morning suits, while women had their choice of monzuki (crested kimono) or a robe montante. I am not sure I would recognize a robe montante if I saw one, but it was evident that the people around me, dressed for the most part in nondescript clothes, could not afford such costumes. The postwar recovery of Japan was under way, but it was not yet reflected in the clothing.

After some hours of waiting I was startled to hear a loudspeaker bray, "Donarudo sama! Donarudo sama!" I decided that the name being called must be my own, and went where the loudspeaker directed. A seat had been found for me among the dignitaries, and I was to leave my place on the matting. I asked why I had been summoned by my first name rather than by my surname, and someone replied, "If we asked for Keene, people might think a Korean had come." (As pronounced in Japan, "Keene" sounds rather like "Kim," a common Korean surname.) This response was so surprising and so unworthy of the occasion that I could think of nothing to say.

[On Familiar Terms]

　神社側の配慮は、いかにも戦後間もないころの出来事といえそうだ。見回す限り外国人らしい姿はなく、純日本的な伝統の中で行われたようだ。晩年のエッセー集「ドナルド・キーンの東京下町日記」の中でも、…