Location: Araya-Manya, Kosaka Town
Site(s) of performance: Manyōji Temple, the open space in front of Kazuno-Hanawa Train Station, and the open space in front of the former Sekizen Liquor Shop
Date(s): August 15 and 20
Category: Taiko-Furyū and Matsuri-Bayashi
This is a performance of big drums at Manya in the southern part of Kosaka Town. It was mostly played for a Bon dance, but it is also played at the rituals for the spring and autumn equinoxes. The performance originally consisted of simple drum beatings when sending off the spirits of the ancestors and later developed to become the performance we have today. The drummer holds the drum and hits it with sticks in both hands. Usually there is an assistant to help the drummer. Japanese flutes join the beats of the big drums.
