Date; 　 1st Sunday April, every year
Location; Hirose town 2-2-8, Maebashi city, Gunma prefecture
Access; 　It takes 20 minutes from Naebashi station (JR) on foot
Mebashi is 1 and half hours from Tokyo

　This time, we will introduce “Iidama shrine Daidai kagura”.
　This Kagura event is held at the Iidama shrine every spring. “Daidai” is a word usually used in the event in the Kanto area and means “bigger and bigger”. Tears ago, kagura was sometimes held for people to get their wishes. The stronger the people’s wish was, the bigger the scale of the kagura became, because they paid a lot of money. So, the name of the kagura became “Dai kagura” from merely “kagura”. Dai means big. Finally, it is said to have come to be called “Daidai” kagura, according to some views.

　This period (from end of March to the begining of April, about two weeks) is one of the best season in Japan. Many cherry blossoms bloom all at once and Japan is covered with the color of pale pink. So, if you go to this event, you would see beautiful scenery all over this area.

　This kagura is performed at lunchtime from about 11 am to 3 or 4 pm every year.

　*This article was written from the writer’s experience visiting in 2017.

　This time once again two men (Modoki and Sarutahiko) seem to be ready to guide you.

　20 minutes later.

First half~ritual part

　At first, two deities come in. “Sarutahiko“

　Next program “Four sieties“. Four men without mask are dancing slowly.

　Next “Uzume or Okame”. One dancer is holding Gohei (staff with plaited paper streamers in Shinto) and a bell comes on stage. THe feature of this dance is a slipping like movement.

　Intermission from 12:20 pm to 1:00 pm.
　Next program, “Tajikarao“. He has a staff like a shield.

　Next program; “Ameno Koyane“. One person wearing white old man mask comes on the stage. He is holding a bell and a white fan.

　Second half~comedy part

　At 1:30 pm. “Tanemaki”. It means sowing seeds. A fox appeared following an woman holding rice plant.

　A fox is jumping crouching position. This is a popular image of a fox in kagura. A woman gave some rice plant and has left. Following, two men appear. They both wear a yellow cloth and one man wears a red towel on his head.

　Unexpectedly, he is competent. After being taught how to plant form the fox, he started working easily and joyfully. When he is planting seeds just like dancing, another man comes in. He wears a yellow cloth and yellow towel on his head. He is bringing a big basket. After he puts the basket down, a man with red towel begind to teach him how to plant the seeds.

　*Following the conversation is Modok’s fictional transration.

　While they were doing this, one woman appears. She wears a cooking coat. She is called “Okame” or “Otafuku”. She begins to take care this and that.

　Following Okame, an old man appears.

　Nevertheless, the Inari did almost nothing. He just smoked a long pipe while looking over spring scenes.

　After all, Inari and Okame left. Two of Modokis begin putting rice into a big straw bag.

　Two Modokis managed to finish. Next, they have to bring it.

　Red finished tying. Yellow wants to stand but cannot. Red helps him to carry the rope.

　Then, fox comes out again.

　They are left finally with the fox. This program takes over 30 minutes.
　Next program “Daikoku’s mallet”.
　Daikoku is a deity of fortune. He always has a little mallet. The little mallet is a famous staff which people imagine as soon as people hear the name “Daikoku”. Daikoku swings the mallet, then a lot of treasures appear immediately.

　Daikoku gave a bell, mirror, and the mallet at last and he has left the stage.

　Modoki swung the mallet and a strange being has appeared. It wears an all-pink clothes and has a pink face.

　Anyway, modoki ties the monkey-like creature to a pillar. Modoki starts dancing in front of the monkey-like creature but it has vanished without noticing.

　At last, Daikoku, Modoki, and the monkey-like creature drive away the ogre by throwing beans and all the cast have left.

　”Zougi and Taihou” Two deities talk to each other, and wish for happiness.

　”Kagutuchi“

　The last program. The blue face comes out holding a bell and a plate. He dances and throws many sweets or rice cakes and the program is over.

　to be continued to Part 3

　Toiday, I’ll introduce 4 kafuras which is held in the most beautiful season of blossoming cherries within 2 hours from Tokyointroduce.

introduce four kaguras (Japnanese traditional folk performing art) in cherry blossoms blooming season

　If you ask some Japanese which season is the best to visit, most people will answer that it is for the blooming cherry blossoms.
　In this season, cherry blossoms begin to cover Japan starting from the south region and moving up north for two months. The bolssoming status in each region is reported on TV or radio. Many people go out, dressed a new in spring clothes upon hearing such.
　The mountains, the rivers, the towns all views change from dark color to pale pink.

　Through out history, people have loved cherry blossoms. One famous poet composed the poem (waka 和歌) which reads “Hopefully, I will die under the blossoms in the spring time.” And another poet said;
“If it were not for/ cherry blossoms in the world/ How peaceful and calm/ The heart in spring could be.”
　confer ; http://dharmaechoes.blogspot.com/2010/04/heart-in-spring.html
　The cherry trees has had strong influence on Japanese lifestyles. The cherry trees represent, so to speak, Japanese culture itself. In this season, if you see traditional kagura 神楽, you can grasp the whole Japanese culture in one day.

　The following 4 kaguras will be taken up here today. Every kagura is held in April.

・Fuji sengen shrine Daidai Kagura on the 1st Fujioka city, Gunma prefecture
・Iidama shrine Daidai Kagura on the 2nd Maebashi city, Gunma prefecture
・Yamanashi oka shrine Daidai Kagura on the 4th Fuefuki city, Yamanashi prefecture
・Kamiyamakawa Daidai Kagura on the 5th Yuki city, Ibaraki prefecture

　I guess that each kagura is worth watching. You can feel Japanese culture, besides you can get a lot of good luck fortune. THis is not metaphor. Of course, you can get a mystical feeling in a shrine. Moreover, you can get many “good luck” items. This is why “mochimaki” is held while kagura’s at all these shrines. What is “mochimaki” ? Please read the following text if you wish know more about it.

　These two people seem ready to guide you, this time. Then, could you two introduce yourselves, please ?

　Well, let’s go to watch kagura with them.

1. Fuji-sengen shrine Daidai kagura

Date; 1st, April
Location; Fujioka town 1152, Fujioka city, Gunma prefecture
Access; 10-minutes walk from Fujioka 藤岡 station (JR line), To get to Fujilka from Tokyo, you take Ueno-Tokyo line (JR line, bound for Takasaki), and change at Kurakano 倉賀野 for Hachiko line 八高線. It takes about 2 hours.

　*This article is written based on the experience when the writer visited the place in 2016. The program procedures are basically the every year.

　The precinct is wide. Main hall (Hon-den 本殿) is at the center. This building is on a hill which overlooks the view of whole precinct. This hill is old grave. This kagura-den 神楽殿 (hall for playing kagura) is right in front of the main hall. This building has two stories, the stage is on the second floor. You can watch from under the hall or from the main hall. which is a little away.
　The kagura starts at 11:30 am on schedule.

　First progarm is “Omoikane“. The player white cloth dances alone, holding a bell and staff of pleased paper stream.

　Second program is “two Koyanes“. Two players are on the stage. They were white and black mask of old men. They dance bisymmetrically with paper streamer and bells, too.

　Third program is “three deities of Sumiyoshi“. Three players appear on the stage who each wear cloth of different colors, white and yellow. They dance symmetrically with great skill amis falling of paper of pale pink prtals.

　Every program is short which lasts within 10~15 minutes.
　Toward the end of this program, people gather around the kagura-den.

　Many people appered on the stage, and began to throw many things.

　After the ceremony of mochinage, the program starts again.
　Next program is “Miko mai“. “Miko” is a shrine maiden consecrated to deity. Miko-mai is a type of dance performed by “miko”. The way to dance is different in every region. Here, four elementary school girls are performing. This is shorter than other programs which lasts within 5 minutes.

　”Sarutahiko“. One player weares red and long-high nose mask and holds a bell and long sword in his hands.

　”Miko-dance” again.

　”Iwatobiraki” →please refer to “Reference”→”Japanese mythology”
　One player wears black clothes red “hakama” and holds gold folding fan. “Hakama” is Japanese skirt for formal wear. He is deity named “Tajikarao 手力男”. He plays the role of removing “Iwato”. In this kagura, a blackboard represent it. He takes it off, exposing a little girl traditional wear of “miko”. She represents “Amaterasu”.

　After the first player leaves, “Miko-mai” plays again. And two players wearing black and white clothes and mask of old man bisymmetrically. At last, the first player “Tajikarao” appears again.

　At last, mochinage ceremony is held again, and there is a lunch break. It is about 20 minutes.

Second half

　”A sword dance” One player has a mask of surprising and long hair. He walks powerfully swinging a sword.

　”Ryujin (deity of dragon)“

　Mochinage again.

　”Hachiman” This is a deity of battle and war. He drive out evil spirits to shoot a bow.

　”Ebisu“

　Ebisu finally caught a sea bream as expected and got off.
　Finally, people were throwing sweets splendidly and all programs ended. It was 5 pm.

Ending

　to be continue to vol. 2

Date：　　　1st January, 14th February, 10th April, 10th October, and day of “Tori” in December, every year
Location： Washinomiya shrine Washinomiya, Kuki city, Saitama prefecture
How to get there： It takes 10 minutes from Washinomiya station (Tobu Isezaki line)

　※This kagura is consisted of 12 programs.

　※This kagura is one of 35 an important Intangible Folk Cultural Heritage by Japanese national government.

Introduction

　This kagura is called “the source of Kanto kagura” (Kanto is located in center of Honshu which is main island of Japan, and is the generic name of seven prefectures). In addition, this is one of the country designation important intangible cultural asset which there is 35.
　”Sada shinno” originally started in Shimane prefecture. A Shinto priest of Sada shrine learned Noh in Kyoto about the beginning of 17th Century, and made a new kagura (so called Sada Shinno) baced on the Noh style. This kagura is known for a distinctive element. That’s the dancer is holding thing (bell, sacred staff with cut paper (heisoku 幣束), or a sakaki leaf and so on). This style of kagura started to be called “Izumo style ” and spread out in the whole country before long. This shrine is where Izumo style was accepted first. So it is called “the source of Kanto kagura”.
　But the first document of the kagura in this shrine was recorded in about the middle of 13th century. We don’t know whether this kagura is the same kagura of today.

　I went to Washinomiya shrine on 1st January, 2015.
　Kuki city is located in Saitama orefecture, population of about 150,000. It is not very big town. It takes about 1 hour from Tokyo by Ueno-Tokyo lune (JR), changing at Kuki to Tobu line, next station being Washinomiya station.
　Washinomiya shrine is about a 10 minute-walk from Washinomiya station. We cross a red bridge on the way to the shrine. It like a cnnection between the sacred place and the regular world.

　The shrine became a holy ground of animation films in these days. so we can see many persons who wear costumes of animation characters. We can find a middle-aged man who puts on a blond wig wearing sailor uniform (high school girls style ) and skirt among them. You guess that it is quite a surreal scene. Even if it is not so, this shrine is the core of faith in this area. The number of people that gathered exceeded 400,000 in there days. The shrine is quiet in usual times, but only for three days, it becomes really crowded.

First half

　On those days, people make a long lines to pray, I passed by them and ran to the hall (kagura-den) where kagura was being performed.

　the kagura was going to start about 10 or 10:30. When I arrived at about 11:00. The kagura had already started. The kagura-den is front of the Hon-den (main hall). So many people were there, but nobody was looking at the kagura. The audience seemed to be no more than 20 persons.
　On the stage, there were one masked man and two girls. The mask showed an old man smiling gently. He dance slowly holding a bell and sacred staff with cut paper (heisoku 幣束). This kagura’s feature was in a ceremonial manner with hardly any dramatic representation.

　I guessed from the title that this program represented at the famous scene of Japanese mythology, “Amano iwato biraki” (see to “Reference/Japan mythology). In “Amano iwato biraki” all deities are pleased when “Amaterasu” (she is a deity of sun) comes out from where she was hidden in a big door of rock. But, it is difficult to understand such a state only by seeing it. It is significant to appease the Earth in every direction by the swinging the bell. This program took about 30 minutes.

　Next program is “Hakagura“. This program is where two girls dance swinging a bell. When this program is played, people sitting on the stage play music “Saibara”.”Saibara” is a popular music in Heian period (9~10 C). When we listen to these music, we don’t feel such elements. The oldest music is called “Gagaku”. I feel this music like “Gagaku”faster in tempo. I don’t know if these music remain completely at the time, but I am filled with deep emotion. I think it worth listening to once at least because you would feel the life of ancient Japanese.

　Next program is based on Japanese mythology, too. This mythology says in the beginning of time, two deities, named “Izanagi” and “Izanami” gave birth this country. So, a mobile bridge is set on a stage and two players dance across the bridge. The male deity dances powerfully, the female deity dances with grace.While changing their positions they dance around a stage. This program ended at about half past 12. Then there was an intermission.

Intermission

　There were many food stalls in the shrine precinct. After I ate lunch, I found a place where people were being fire using metal barrel. This area was surrounded by a double fence, and some people were direct cuttlefish. I thought it was a good system. Only people who bought, direct dried cuttlefish could enter in front of the fire. I saw quite a lot of people buying cuttlefish.

Second half

　Meanwhile the kagura started again at 2 o’clock.
　First program, two little girls were dancing hoiding a bell. It was short.

　Next program was based on mythology,too. When the grandson of “Amaterasu (a deity of sun)”, “Ninigi” goes down from his country “Amatsu kuni” to this earth, two deities got married with the meditation of “Ninigi”. One is a chaperon of Ninigi, named “Ameno Uzume“, and is a deity who had waited Ninigi’s group and led this coutry to safty, mnamed “Sarutahiko“.

　So, two dancers enter the stage. One wore a red face mask with long -high nose, and another wore a female mask. The dancer with the red mask is “Sarutahiko”, and the other is “Ameno Uzume”. Sarutahiko held a pike, and Ameno Uzume held a big staff which red pieace of paper. Two dancers faced each other across the bridge, changing their position like the program of “Izanagi and Izanami”. This kagura basically consists of such dancing.
　It ended at 2:20.

　After short break, next program started. Three dancers each wore a mask of “okina” (old man) with long mustache and beard. They each held fans, and danced slowly making a circle. It is said that it is to express a prayer for a peace of the world.

　After 30 minutes, the whole program for today ended.
　If you are interested in old style kagura, I recommended to watch this “Saibara kagura”. You can definitely see a noble and elegant dance program.

　　　　　For more information
　This kagura is held at “Washinomiya shrine (branch shrine)”, 15th April. It is at “Hachiho, Washinomiya town”.