Date; Usually on February 8, May 5, and May 8 (with February and May 5 being the main events)
Location; 849 Harunasan-cho, Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture
Access; Take the direct train from Tokyo to Takasaki via the Ueno-Tokyo Line and Takasaki Line. The trip takes about 2 hours. From there, take the Gunma Bus bound for Lake Haruna for about 70 minutes. There is a 10-minute break at a bus depot along the way.

Haruna Tourism Association (Japanese) https://harunavi.jp/look_spot/
Takasaki city https://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/site/cultural-assets/4631.html

This article is based on a visit of 2015, 5th of May

Haruna Shrine is a popular spiritual spotkagura

Haruna Shrine has become increasingly popular in recent years as a “power spot,” and it’s always crowded no matter when you go. However, transportation access is naturally poor, and even after you finally arrive, you still have to walk about 15 minutes from there to reach the main area. However, along the way, there are mountain streams flowing and statues of deities standing here and there, so you’ll never get bored, and the path is a gentle slope, so walking isn’t difficult at all.

Since kagura is, by its very nature, a performing art intended for the gods, the stage here is at the same height as the main hall directly across from it. As a result, people either look up at the performance from below or watch it from another building diagonally across from the main hall. Anyone can enter this building and watch during the kagura performances.

Characteristics of Kagura

Each dance is very short, lasting only about five minutes. The performance is structured so that shrine maiden dances are interspersed between them. The musical accompaniment consists of just a single taiko drum—there are no flutes or gongs. The performers continue to dance in time with the steady rhythm of the drum.

Although short, it has a fast tempo and is characterized by solemn yet brisk movements throughout. Furthermore, it’s not hard to imagine that it requires considerable training to maintain a low, crouched posture throughout the dance.

Furthermore, entertainment elements have been eliminated as much as possible. Take the Ebisu Dance, for example. Normally, when reeling in the sea bream, it often takes a while to come up, or something else might be reeled in instead—or even a monetary gift—and it’s common to interact with the audience in this way. Here, however, there is absolutely none of that.

While shrine maiden dances usually feature red and white costumes, here the costumes are similar to those of other Kagura dances. It gives the impression that they are trying to avoid looking too flashy.

However, the event concluded with a brief, traditional mochi-throwing ceremony. It lasted about an hour, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
It is said that a total of about 30 dances have been passed down through the generations. On this day, about five mask dances were performed, interspersed with two shrine maiden dances.

The shrine itself is a cultural property

A shrine that retains its ancient form, surrounded by massive boulders. Although it is said to have been founded around the 6th century, the earliest verifiable records date back to the early 10th century. Since the shrine’s name appears on a list of designated shrines nationwide from that time, there is no doubt that it had already attracted a large following long before then.
Also, no matter how many times you look at the numerous sculptures, you’ll never get tired of them. It might be nice to take a short trip there someday to soak up the power of the gods and the earth.

Date; May 5—Every four years—Next time in 2028
Location; 7-41-3 Okusawa, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo
Access; Get off at Kuhonbutsu Station on the Tokyu Oimachi Line; about 5 minutes (About 30 minutes from Tokyo Station)
Get off at Jiyugaoka Station on the Tokyu Toyoko Line; about 15 minutes

Josinji-temple official (Japanese) https://kuhombutsu.jp/event/omenkaburi/

This article is based on a visit of 2024, 5th of May.

The Area of Setagaya

When most Japanese people hear “Setagaya,” they think, “Oh, that’s a nice place.” By “nice place,” they don’t mean it’s scenic. They mean it’s an area where slightly wealthy people live. In Japan, a country surrounded by the sea and mountains, there are plenty of scenic spots like this if you just venture a little way out of the city. Even a studio apartment costs about 100,000 yen a month. Many celebrities live there, too. That’s the kind of place it is. That’s why it’s very accessible. That’s why the station is located in the middle of a bustling city.

Just walking down the approach path opens up a whole new world. The temple is filled with trees and has a refreshing atmosphere. It’s also a popular destination for tourists, drawing crowds to see the cherry blossoms in spring and the autumn foliage.

The event is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. A bridge for the Buddha to walk across has already been set up, and many onlookers are gathered around it.

The Buddhas Are Coming

First, the monks and worshippers move from the main hall to a hall on the opposite side called the Jōbon-dō, where a Buddha statue is enshrined. There, they put on Buddha masks, and the Buddha procession finally begins.
To begin with, its official name is “The Assembly of the 25 Bodhisattvas Welcoming the Deceased.”
This embodies the belief that when a person passes away, the Buddha will come from the Pure Land to welcome those who have performed good deeds during their lifetime. Here, the Main Hall represents the present world, while the Jōbon-dō Hall represents the Pure Land of Bliss; the performance is staged to depict the Buddha coming from the Pure Land to welcome the people.

One after another, 25 bodhisattvas proceed, guided by the strains of gagaku music. Even though it’s May, it’s hot. Since the masks apparently severely obstruct their vision, their attendants assist them and occasionally fan them.

The Bodhisattva, having gone to welcome the people, returns once more to the Pure Land of Bliss.

Although all Buddha statues look the same, the objects they hold do differ from one to another.

A heavenly show lasting just under an hour.

People leave the temple, with its fresh greenery, hoping for a little happiness.

The 25 Bodhisattvas Welcoming Ceremony is held in various locations. For reference→https://discoverdeeperjapan.com/2021/04/11/manbu-onerithe-luxurious-world-of-buddha-at-dai-nenbutu-ji-temple/

Date; The evening of the last Saturday in October
Location; 769 Ōhashi, Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture: Koroku Shrine
Access; Hokuso Railway, Kitakokubun Station → 20 minutes’ walk
It takes about an hour to get from Tokyo to Kitakokubun by transferring between the JR, Keisei, and Hokuso Railway lines.

Preservation Society official https://www.shi-shi-ma-i.com/

Watch a lion dance near Tokyo

Since it’s the end of October, it gets dark early. As I walk through the residential neighborhood, which is now completely dark, the shrine I’m looking for comes into view.

The shrine grounds at the top of the stairs aren’t very large. A dance stage has been set up in front of the main hall, and spectators have already begun to gather. There are also several food stalls, a common sight at festivals. There seem to be a lot of children here.

Around 7:30 p.m., lions—led by a monkey—make their appearance from the main hall. This is the “three-lion dance,” a style common in the Kanto region where one person controls each lion. Another distinctive feature is that the dancers hold small drums against their chests.

Since the dance floor is small, the lions stand and twist their bodies as they pound the drums, while the monkey dances around them with comical gestures.

The playful monkey is a favorite among the children

The thing hanging behind the monkey is sometimes a tail, and sometimes something else. Since there are almost no accurate records of the lion dance, it is impossible to trace its detailed history; however, there are records dating back to the late 1700s, so it appears that the tradition was already in place by at least that time. This gives us a glimpse into just how open-minded the Japanese were about sex back then. That said, this isn’t just for fun; it’s imbued with the meaning of praying for a safe childbirth and a good marriage. In the past, all such matters were considered the domain of the gods. Of course, the kids don’t care about any of that; they just keep tugging on his tail and teasing him.

Before long, people around him begin handing the monkey their gift money. The monkey expresses his gratitude in an exaggerated manner and hands out tangerines in return. The children, finding this so much fun, are the ones who keep offering their gift money.

Since they were throwing mandarins, the kids were going wild. Before long, they even started a game of rock-paper-scissors.

When that happens, don’t you start to worry about the lions dancing their hearts out? Isn’t it possible that no one is even watching them? Don’t worry—the adults are definitely watching.

Ending

The event concluded with the traditional sweet-throwing ceremony. Both children and adults were captivated by the treats being thrown. It was already around 8:30 p.m., and the event had lasted about an hour. With night falling, we’d better hurry back to the station.

Date; Every year on the Sunday before Marine Day—Marine Day is a public holiday falling on the third Monday in July
Location; Hanahata Otori shrine 7-16-8 Hanahata, Adachi Ward, Tokyo
Access; Take the bus from Tobu Bus Platform 1 at Tsukuba Express ‘Rokucho Station’
Take the Bunkyo University Circular bus and alight at ‘Hanahata 6-chome’; it is an 8-minute walk from there
or From ‘Yatsuka Station’ on the Tobu Skytree Line, take the Tobu Bus bound for Hanabata-Kuwabukuro Housing Estate, alight at ‘Soka Memorial Gymnasium’, then walk for 8 minutes.

Both the Tobu Line and the JR Tsukuba Express take around 10 to 20 minutes from Asakusa

Adachi Tourism Net https://www.adachikanko.net/en/spot/id-005
Japan travel about Otori shrine https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/otori-shrine/60192
video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYztUx9rs-k

This article is based on visits of 19th, July, 2015 and 17th, July, 2017

A rare lion dance that can be seen in the wards of Tokyo

To put it bluntly, traditional folk arts can only be seen in remote areas. They are not passed down in the heart of the city. This is only to be expected, as it is virtually impossible to pass on such arts across generations in places where the population turns over so rapidly. In that sense, this lion dance can be said to be extremely valuable. Conversely, it shows that although this area is now a city, it used to be a rural area. That said, the shrine now stands right in the heart of a residential area.

The lion dance finished one performance this morning, and the afternoon session is about to begin. Apart from the central stage, you can watch from anywhere.

This is the form of the ‘three-lion dance’ commonly seen in the Kanto region and further east.

Whatever happened to the lioness?

The performance known as ‘The Hidden Female Lion’ is a classic lion dance piece.
Although there were originally three lions, for some reason only the female lion disappears.
The remaining two work together to start looking for her, but…

The lion who spotted the other first should have reported it straight away, but instead tries to play it down. He tries to play it down. It’s soon obvious. And so the battle between the two begins.

Whilst all this was going on, the lioness disappeared again… The same thing happened twice, and in the end, everything ended happily.

Hei gakari

A performance in which the performers become connected to something is called a ‘kakari’. This is a performance in which the performers become connected to Gohei (sacred objects).

Tuna (rope) gakari

Suddenly appearing, a mysterious rope. ‘What on earth is this?’ wondered the lions.

‘The next lion is still young, so he’s got plenty of strength,’ said the compère, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
‘Come on! There’s more to come!’

Even the security guard finds himself putting his all into it

at the end

Once the lion dancers have finished their dedication ceremony at Ōtori Shrine, they head to a temple called Fukuju-in, where they perform their final dance to bring the event to a close. According to legend, a long time ago, during a flood, a complete set of lion dance tools was washed ashore and kept by Fukuju-in. It is said that this lion dance was eventually created using those very tools.
It was already half past three in the afternoon. The heat was starting to ease off. The lion dance was over, but summer was far from over. So, where are the next masked characters?

Date; The first Saturday and Sunday in November
Location; Hanno, Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture The city centre area stretching from the North Exit of Hanno Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line and the West Exit of Higashi-Hanno Station on the JR Hachiko Line to the Hanno City Central District Administrative Centre
Access; Right next to the North Exit of Hanno Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line; a 2-minute walk from the West Exit of Higashi-Hanno Station on the JR Hachiko Line It takes about one hour to one and a half hours to get to Hanno Station from Tokyo or Ikebukuro.

This article is based on a visit of 4th, November, 2025.

Hanno official https://hanno-tourism.jp/en/

It’s a festival!

As it’s a festival, let’s have these two—who also appeared during the Ōme Grand Festival—guide us once again.

What? Who’s that? If that’s you, please click here. https://discoverdeeperjapan.com/2020/04/26/part-2iidama-shrine-daidai-kagura/

https://discoverdeeperjapan.com/2020/05/25/__trashed-2/

Masked characters are dancing

Three lion dance of Suwa Hachiman shrine

Masked characters, here and there

The festival goes on, right into the night

Date; The second Sunday in April every year
Location; Amabiki kannon 1 Honoki, Sakurashi City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Access; From Iwase Station on the JR Mito Line, take the city bus on Saturdays and holidays to Amabiki Kannon (20 minutes)

or 15-minute taxi ride (6 km) from Iwase Station on the JR Mito Line
Sakuragawa city official (Japanese) https://www.kankou-sakuragawa.jp/page/page000045.html
Amabiki kannnon insttagram https://www.instagram.com/p/DWr7FQ0k0Nm/

This article is based on a visit on Sunday, April 10, 2016.

Amabiki Kannon Temple under the falling cherry blossom

Since Amabiki Kannon is a short distance from the station, you’ll need to take a taxi or a bus. One inn near the station offer public bike rentals, but since there aren’t many available, you’ll need to make a reservation in advance.
Takasago Inn http://☎0296-75-2165
Cycling Ibaraki https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/rental/

Madara diety is coming

At 11:00, the Madara diety first rushes up the stairs in one go, riding a white horse.

The Madara deity is still a rare deity even in Japan and is not typically worshipped openly. It is, so to speak, a “hidden” deity. Only two places—Amabiki Kannon-ji temple here and Kōryū-ji temple in Kyoto—prominently feature the Madara deity.

According to legend, long ago, when the temple’s founder was traveling by ship and it seemed as if the vessel was about to be shipwrecked, the Madara deity guided the ship, allowing the journey to end safely. Later, when the temple was destroyed by fire during a time of war, it is said that figures with the faces of demons worked night after night to rebuild it. This, it is said, is the reason why this temple holds a festival to honor the Madara deity.

Led by a monk, five ogres and a child performer also make their way up the stairs.

The Dance of the Madara deity and ogres

11:30 a.m. Amid the sound of the monks’ drums, a fire for the goma ritual is lit inside a bamboo frame. A goma ritual is a Buddhist religious ceremony in which a fire is lit and wooden tablets inscribed with wishes are cast into it.

Right now, in the face of the raging flames, at the signal from the Madara deity, the ogres’ wild dance begins.

Finally, they release arrows to banish the evil spirit.

Gathered in front of the main hall, the Madara deity and the ogres fire a total of 49 arrows, one after another, each said to possess the power to ward off evil. People scramble to catch the arrows because they are said to bring good fortune and benefits.

12:30 p.m. Once everything is over, the ogres even pose for commemorative photos. The people head down the mountain, each wishing for their own happiness.

“Tochigi? I’ve never heard of that place.”
If asked, most people would probably answer that way.
Of course, it’s a town in Tochigi Prefecture, but it’s not the prefectural capital. It’s a town that bears the name “Tochigi” yet isn’t the heart of the prefecture.
But… this town, located about an hour from Tokyo, was a town of warehouses with three types of charm.

This town has been designated as a Preservation District for Important Groups of Traditional Buildings.

Tochigi City Tourist Association　https://www.tochigi-kankou.or.jp/#

1. Main street

Your journey begins at Tochigi Station. There are several information signs, but here, you’ll start by heading down Main Street.

The main street stretching straight from the station looks much like any other street in town.
However, if you look closely, you’ll notice that older buildings are scattered among the modern ones.

2. Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings

After soaking up the atmosphere of this town of storehouses on Main Street, try walking down the street just past the slight left turn. This is a trace of an old highway that was once maintained for imperial messengers traveling to Nikko. This roadside area is designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

If you come across a shop that has been making and selling miso (味噌 soybean paste) since the late 18th century, turn back.
You can also enjoy craft beer and other beverages here, in addition to soybean paste products.
official (Japanese) https://abudenmiso.wixsite.com/website

3. Talk about Tochigi, that’s the view

On the way back to the station, instead of taking Main Street, you might want to try the path along the river that runs alongside it.
If you stroll along for a while, letting the river breeze blow through you….

Sawara, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture
Access ：It takes about 70 minutes by rapid train on the JR Sobu-Narita Line from Tokyo to Narita, and then about 30 minutes on a local train from there.
It’s about a 5-minute walk from Keisei Narita Station to JR Narita Station.

This town has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
It originally flourished as a town near the gates of the nearby Katori Shrine. Later, the town grew in importance as a commercial hub that took advantage of water transportation on the Tone River.
At the height of its prosperity, the saying went, “If you want to see Edo, come to Sawara.” Even today, traces of that prosperity can be seen here and there.
Official https://www.suigo-sawara.ne.jp/abroad.html?

The highlight of this town is the row of houses lining the Onogawa River. However, the area along the road leading there is also lined with plenty of old buildings.

You can also take a sightseeing boat tour along the river.

You should definitely make a short detour to visit Katori Shrine. Along with neighboring Kashima Shrine, it enshrines the god of martial arts. Together with Ise Shrine, it is one of the most prestigious shrines in Japan.
It takes about 30 minutes to walk from JR Katori Station, so it’s best to take a bus or taxi from Sawara. Buses run about once an hour. The ride takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

If you’re visiting in June, you can’t miss the Irises Park in Itako. Shuttle buses run from Sawara Station during the Ayame Festival.
Chiba prefecture site https://www.visitchiba.jp/things/ayame-park/

When people hear the term “traditional performing arts,” many tend to shy away from them, imagining them to be stuffy and formal. However, they were originally a form of entertainment for people in the past. Naturally, they have evolved over time to better engage their audiences. For this reason, it is not merely a dance; it incorporates various narrative elements. A classic example is the story of two lions competing for a single female. However, here in the Suga district, it is said that tengu and lions drink sake and play dice. Apparently, this is an extremely rare performance even on a national scale. Yet it was imbued with the sentiments of people passed down through the ages.

Date: Sunday close to September 12
Location: Suge Yakushido, 4-16-2 Suga Kitaura, Tama-ku, Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa, Japan
Access: 10 minutes walk from Inadazutsumi Station on JR or Keio Line.

https://www-city-kawasaki-jp.j-server.com/LUCKAWASAK/ns/tl.cgi/https://www.city.kawasaki.jp/880/page/0000000995.html?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=utf-8&XJSID=0

instagram https://www.instagram.com/explore/search/keyword/?q=%23%E8%8F%85%E3%81%AE%E7%8D%85%E5%AD%90%E8%88%9E

This article is based on 2017

Where does it take place?

Inada-zutsumi can be reached in 4 or 50 minutes from Shinjuku, Tokyo. Despite its proximity, the Tama River flows nearby, and there is even a promenade for forest bathing in the surrounding area. Nice place to live. The area in front of the station is bustling, but the slope leading up to Yakushido, where today’s event will take place, is a short hike away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The event started at 2:00 p.m., but the grounds were quite crowded, and spectators crowded around the ring, which served as the stage for the event. The reason for this is that a children’s sumo tournament is always held before the lion dance.

A tengu comes rushing in

When the time comes, the lions, the stars of the show, arrive to the accompaniment of a slightly sad melody. First of all, a tengu (a kind of long-nosed goblin) jumps into the ring on the stage with great energy. The tengu then repeats this action three times. He comes in, goes back out, and then again. As one would expect, after repeating it three times, the tengu gets tired of it, but on the third time, it scatters confetti. The bright colors of the confetti are a brilliant performance that catches the audience by surprise.

And the lions are coming too

Following the tengu, the lions enter. The tengu welcomes them. In this case, the tengu plays a roll called sakibar先払い, which means to purify the place for the lions, the main performers, and to announce the appearance of them.

The lions dressed in bright blue, patterned curtains, and their manes are magnificent. The main “ojishi 雄獅子” has gold horns, while the “kyujishi 臼獅子” has red and black twisted horns. And “mejishi 雌獅子” has no horns. It is a typical form of the three lion dances.

The lions here have many strenuous movements that involve standing and sitting on their feet and legs. The lion’s head and drums together weigh about 6.5 kg. It is not hard to imagine how hard it must be to dance with the lion’s head on while the summer heat still lingers, even in September. The reservationists say that only the young people can perform this kind of work. Therefore, daily promotional activities, such as visiting elementary schools and other places to teach lion dance, are essential. Fortunately, there seem to be enough children to hold children’s sumo tournaments, so there seems to be no problem with successors.

Incidentally, the lion dance first appeared in literature in the early 12th century. However, after a period of interruption, it was revived in its present form in the late 18th century and continues to be performed today.

The Tengu proposes a game of dice to the lions

Then comes a rare scene rarely seen in ordinary lion dances.
The lions sit in a circle. The tengu then offers them dice. In short, the tengu proposes to play a gambling game with the dice. In fact, this tengu is a man of mischief, gambling, and drinking.

An ill-advised Tengu is punished by the lion he tricked

This is followed by the well-known performance “Mejishi kakushi” (Mejishi hiding), which is a little different from the others. The usual presentation of this performance is that the female lioness disappears and the two lions search for her, and the lioness who finds her first tries to monopolize her, which happens.Here, however, the Mejishi (female lioness) is set as the wife of the Ojishi (male lion). It begins with a tengu doing something wrong and hiding the female lioness from the Ojishi. Then the Ojishi, misunderstanding the situation, starts taking it out on the Kyujishi, and they start a fight.

Naturally, in the end, the lions realize that they have misunderstood and punish the tengu to the hilt. In any case, the tengu is a rare villain here.

Nevertheless, they are working so hard that the lion dance would not be possible without the efforts of these tengu. They were drenched in sweat as they were applauded at the end. Please take a look at this unusual lion dance.

Ending

Kanagawa Prefecture, next to Tokyo, is as small in area as Tokyo, but its population is the second largest, surpassing the regional centers of Osaka and Aichi. More than 30 million in Yokohama, the prefectural capital. The neighboring city of Kawasaki, the area of this report, has a population of 15 million. Even though it is a bit out of the center of the city, it is surprising how the lion dance has been handed down in such a place.

That said, a shortage of successors remains a problem even in areas like this. To address this, the person in charge explains that they have been raising awareness among elementary school students, and as a result, quite a few young people are now stepping up to take on the role.

They also reportedly lifted several restrictions. One of these was the rule that only the eldest son could perform. However, they retained the tradition of all members passing the torch at the same time. They are, after all, the friends who created this lion dance together. That bond will likely last a lifetime.
The lion dance carries with it the sentiments of those who came before us and of the people who carry on the tradition today.

Location; 1723 Kabasaki-cho, Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture

Date; the third Sunday in April and October

Access; It takes about two hours by local train from Tokyo to Ashikaga (JR) or Ashikaga City (Tobu Line). If travelling by Shinkansen, you will need to change at Takasaki. Approximately 6 km from Ashikaga, or Ashikaga Station.

*https://www-city-ashikaga-tochigi-jp.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja&_x_tr_pto=wapp Ashikaga city official

Based on the visit on 16 April 2017

prologue

In brief, the history of Japan is that rice cultivation gave rise to large-scale political forces in various parts of the country, which eventually came together in armed struggle to form one united government. These are the ancestors of the present-day Emperors. Thereafter, a long period of political rule centred on the emperor, with influential aristocrats gathered around him. They stayed in the capital cities of Nara and Kyoto, and maintained power by siphoning off revenues from their local fiefdoms. but the territory is limited. Ownership disputes and other conflicts began to arise between neighbouring lands. The nobles then had their armed men settle the disputes. The armed forces rapidly became powerful. They were the samurai. Eventually, the samurai moved into the centre of power, eventually creating their own government in Kanto (Kamakura), far from Kyoto. At the centre at this time was the Hojo clan, who seized power by destroying other clans like a Mafia war. This period lasted for about 150 years. However, the number of people dissatisfied with the Hojo clan potentially increased, leading them to overthrow the Hojo regime and create a new one in Kyoto. The Ashikaga clan was central at this time and became shoguns in the new regime. Eventually, Ashikaga’s power waned and an era of divided warlords dawned; Japan was ultimately reunified by the Tokugawa shogun, but that is a story for another time.

The Ashikaga clan’s home town is now Ashikaga City. The kagura presented here takes place in a town with such a historical background.

Kabasaki Hatiman shrine

The Kabasaki Hachimangu shrine, where the story takes place, was founded by the Ashikaga clan. As proof, the shrine has a curtain with the Ashikaga family crest on it. This report is about the kagura performed here. It is a bit far from the station, so It is therefore a good idea to hire a bike at the station. The road is flat and straight. It is easy to find. About 45 minutes on a bicycle. The area is away from the city center and the scenery is much more idyllic. Kagura is also loosely in tune with the landscape. It was scheduled to start at 10.00 am, but actually started at around 10.30 am.

The Appearance of the Hachiman Deity

First, one program without a mask. After that was the dance of the god of war, Hachiman. As befits a god of war, he takes his bow and arrow and points it in all directions. This is not to glorify warfare, but to drive away the bad spirits that lurk in the area. He protects shrines, villages and people.

Lunch break here. The locals sold Yakisoba noodles the area for 100 yen. They are almost all volunteers. Cheap. That’s why they sell so well.
The shrine is said to be associated with the Ashikaga clan, but it is plain for a family that once ruled the country (from the early 14th century to the 16th century). It is said to have originally been larger and grander, but declined as the Ashikaga regime fell. However, the decoration is fine. There was a person who told me many details, and I thought he was a local historian, but to my surprise he was a descendant of the Ashikaga clan. There are many things that can only be understood by actually going there.

After lunch

The next step is the famous opening of Ama-no-Iwato (the rock door inheaven), where the main actors are Ameno-uzume, Tajikarao and Amaterasu… Ameno-uzume only performs a short dance, and Amaterasu leaves the stage just as soon as she appears. In the end, only Tajikarao was the only prominent performer in the troupe. As village people handed down kagura, They probably omitted more and more parts that were not relevant to real life and Kagura gradually changes to a form more suited to the locality. The story of Amaterasu is important as Japanese mythology, but not so much for the people.

Let’s keep it casual and take it easy

And finally, the common people’s group appears. In case , the god Ebisu (this god represents the common people’s group) is the star of the performance. Seven gods that common people have believed in since the Middle Ages. All of them bring happiness to people. Ebisu is one of the most popular among them. That is why Ebisu plays such an important role in this kind of kagura in the village. But in reality, the main attraction is a droll duo. So, these two people fish on behalf of Ebisu and throw snacks and treats. Many children gather, but for them, this is almost the main thing. That’s why it’s a big deal. But if you look closely, they don’t keep it to themselves. Is this another merit of God?

Next to Ebisu comes a deity named Daikoku, who is as popular as he is. He is able to bring forth treasures by waving a mallet in his hand. So here is another big treat of sweets.

Next is Inari, another indispensable deity in the kagura of the village. Inari is the god of rice cultivation in general, and is served by a fox. However, in terms of order, they usually appear earlier. The audience is already in the mood for sweets, so they put rice cultivation aside and start scattering rice again. Since it is kagura, they dance on stage, but people’s attention has already turned to when they are going to throw things.

The stage is now in full “Mochi-nage (Originally, the name was derived from the throwing of rice cakes. Nowadays, various throws such as snacks or candy)” mode. The Ebisuza has begun again. Exactly the same program, exactly the same flow. This happens sometimes in kagura in the village.

Happiness for everyone

The performance ends with a purification of the stage by a mountain god called “Yama-gami” (mountain god). However, to the surprise of the audience, even the mountain deity do Mochi-nage. It is a great service. The people who had stayed until the very end were very satisfied. Good things come to those who wait. This is how kagura continues into the next year.