Ancient Ritual

This short story is inspired by the religious practice of Ainu tribes living in Hokaido, Japan. Though controversial, it is nevertheless still being practiced today, maybe in more secretive manner.
More information can be found, well, by searching “Ainu tribes” on
Google.

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Kitaro San pulled over his car on the side of the remote road, few meters away from the over-turned car. He ran over to the car and found a man trapped in the driver seat. To his surprise, the man was Fujita san, his new found friend. They met and drank sake together in the small pub in the hotel they stayed in down the hill. Fujita was badly injured but was still conscious.

Kitaro quickly dialed emergency service on his mobile phone and was glad that mobile coverage was good even in this very remote area of Hokaido.
While waiting for the ambulance, he stayed with Fujita and talked to him to keep him conscious. Fujita was drifting in and out and his speech was incoherent. Kitaro sensed that Fujita might not be able to make it.

He gave a relief sigh when he heard the approaching siren of the ambulance. Fujita held his hand and passed him a gold chain with a bear shape pendant.
“Please give this to the head of village Hoki. It is about 50 km from here. Follow the sign board to Shimodo town and turn left after the Yumen temple. The village is 20 km from the junction.”
“Hai. I shall do this for you, Fujita san”
“Give to the head of village. Don’t let anyone else know ….” Fujita voice was too weak to be heard.

Kitaro wore the chain over his neck and help the paramedics to get Fujita out from the car. The paramedics were vey efficient and the ambulance carrying Fujita was racing back down hill in less than 30 minutes.

Kitaro got back to his car and started toward the Hoki village following the instructions given by Fujita. He reached the village after dark after a few wrong turns and misses. The place was obviously not as easy to find as described by Fujita.

“Can’t blame him. The poor man was too weak.”
It was a peaceful and quiet farming village.

He went into a small bistro and had a good dinner. The food was exceptionally good and the service was excellent. He didn’t expect such quality at a remote village.

He was even more surprised when he asked for the bill.
“It’s on the house. Hope you have enjoyed it.” Said the owner.
“No. No. I can’t. Please I have to pay.” Kitaro replied and offered his money.
The owner took a step back, bowed and said, “No. No. Please. It’s our honour to serve you, Gami San.”
“You have made a mistake, I m not Gami San.”
“You are Gami San, the most honoured guest in our village” Said the owner while pointing to the bear shape pendant hanging from Kitaro’s neck.
Feeling tired from the long drive, Kitaro didn’t want to argue.
He asked the owner where he could find the village head, thanked him and walked out from the bistro. The owner and his wife saw him out and bowed again. “Domo Arigato Gozaimasu”

He stopped to ask for direction from a young lady and to his surprise, she bowed with respect and invited him to have tea inside her house. Tea and best sake were offered. Kitaro decided to just accept without any questions this time.

His pretty hostess, Yuko was friendly and accommodating. After a few rounds of sake, all Kitaro wished for was get comfortable and lie down. Yuko prepared hot water for him and even scrubbed his back for him. They went to bed together and Kitaro had some best time in his life.

The next morning, after the effect of sake had worn off; he had worked it all out. The villagers must have mistaken him for someone else, who they respected vey much, and the pendant was the identity.
He decided to give it a test.

He hanged the pendant on his neck and made sure it was visible, then he walked to man and said rudely, “Give me your car, I want to use it.”
The big guy turned around and had an angry look on his face. Being rude in this part of the country was almost like calling someone’s mother a prostitute in a Tokyo pub. Expecting a punch from the big guy, he was surprised again. The man looked at him and quickly made a bow and offered his car key.
“At your service, Gami San.”

Kitaro was delighted. He had landed a jackpot and decided he would keep the pendant for a bit longer to enjoy the benefits.
He drove back to Yuko’s place and asked for a hot bath. Lunch was served after his bath with the finest food and served by Yuko and another young girl. Kitaro was in nine clouds and felt like he came to paradise.

For the next week or so, whenever he went, he was greeted with respect and offered the finest food and service. Sometimes, parents would offer their young daughters to him as if he was the walking god.

“Time passes fast too fast when you are enjoying it” He thought to himself. In fact, it was too good to be truth and he felt that he was in a sweet dream that he would not want to wake up.

“Gami San, tomorrow is full moon night” Yuko said to him in a very polite way. She was still his favorite although he had many other young girls in the village.
He didn’t know what about full moon night but didn’t want to show his ignorance on this matter.
“Hai. I know. Serve me more sake please.”

Everyone in the village said the same thing to him.
“Tomorrow is full moon night. It has been our honour to serve you, Gami San.”
He sensed that there would be something going on tomorrow night.
“I will probably be better off split before tomorrow night. Before they find out I am a fake.” He decided.

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Down hill in a small museum, a teacher was explaining to her group of student about the ancient bear tribe rituals.

“This tribe called themselves the Bear People who used to live up in the mountain region. They believed in a Bear God that protected and blessed them in their hunts.

Every year, they would capture a male bear cub and raised it in the village. Everyone would contribute and they would treat the bear cub with highest respect and provide to it the best food, as if it was the Bear God himself.

After one year, on a full moon night in Nigatsu month of Lunar calendar, they would tie the bear cub on a pole and perform the traditional ceremony of sending it back to heaven. After the ritual, they would slash its throat and collect the blood in a silver bowl, which they would mix it with sake and share among all the villagers. They believed the Bear God would bless them through its sacred blood.”

A young boy raised his hand and asked “That’s very cruel. Do they still practice it now?”

“I m sure nobody does this cruel act anymore. The government has put a ban on this as it’s against our country’s laws to torture and kill animals cruelly. It’s called animals right” The young teacher answered.

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Back in the village, Kitaro opened his eyes slowly and his head was still spinning.
“It must have been the sake. I had one too many”
To his horror, he found himself tied up naked on a pole and surrounded by all the villagers. They were all dressed up in colorful costumes, chanting and bowing to him.

He wanted to yell but found his lips were glued together and he couldn’t make any sound. He looked up and saw the full moon in the clear night sky.

The village head came forward with a short samurai sword. Yuko was behind him, holding a silver bowl in her hands. The villagers stopped their chanting and gave a final bow to Kitaro.

This had always been a peaceful and quiet farming village. Everybody lived happily under the blessing of the Bear God.