９、Regional cooperation in a project on insects: Singing Insects and Gocho

 

Noboru　SAKAMOTO

Itami city Museum of Insects

 

Singing Insects and Gocho is a town-wide project for enjoying the arrival of autumn. The Itami Culture Foundation and Itami City Museum of Insects are at the forefront of the project. About 20 organizations participate in the project, including museums, shopping districts, city offices, NPOs, and citizen groups. Live singing insects, including bell crickets and katydids, are displayed at various shops, public facilities, and streets in the central area of Itami City for nine days in September. Various other events are held, such as open-air concerts, a guided tour, an astronomical observation session, a traditional tea ceremony, and several shops sell original products related to insects. Appreciation of the songs of insects is one of the traditional autumn customs in Japan. The aim of this project is to introduce this custom and help people who live in the city rediscover the regional characteristics of Itami City through the songs of insects and various events. Singing Insects and Gocho has grown to be one of the projects that represent the city.