FUKUSHIMA -- They were not even alive in the 1980s let alone the 1860s, when the bitterness between their areas was born, but when high school children from Yamaguchi and Fukushima prefectures sang a song together on Aug. 5 some in the audience felt a very old hatchet was being buried.
FUKUSHIMA--They were not even alive in the 1980s let alone the 1860s, when the bitterness between their areas was born, but when high school children from Yamaguchi and Fukushima prefectures sang a song together on Aug. 5 some in the audience felt a very old hatchet was being buried.
Students from Hagi Senior High School in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Aizu Senior High School in Fukushima Prefecture sang a peace song titled "Yujo Toki o Koete Ima" ( Friendship, crossing over time and living present) at the 35th All Japan High School Cultural Festival in Fukushima city.
The two prefectures were pitted against each other in the Boshin War (1868-69), when a government army from the Choshu domain, now Yamaguchi Prefecture, defeated a pro-shogunate force in the Aizu domain, present-day Fukushima Prefecture.
Ill feeling stemming from the confrontation still lingers among some in the two prefectures.
The song was created for a national cultural festival in Yamaguchi Prefecture five years ago. Aizu wrote the lyrics and Hagi the music. The choruses of the two schools have continued their collaboration, exchanging letters and DVDs of their concerts.
The song ends with the words, "Let's believe in tomorrow and take off now toward the future."
"I sang the song with the hope of building a new future despite our past history," said Shogo Kanari, 18, who heads the group at Aizu Senior High School.
Taiki Sugiyama, 18, who leads the Hagi Senior High School chorus, said: "The festival was nearly canceled due to the earthquake. I am happy we were able to sing the song together."
The groups gave their joint performance without a rehearsal after the Aizu students' bus was caught in a traffic jam. It did not appear to affect their performance.