Location: Niageba, Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City
Site(s) of performance: Bairinji Temple, Ukishima Shrine, and other places in the community
Date(s): August 13 and 14
Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property
Category: Sasara and Horse Dance
The Niageba Bon Dance was brought from Hitachi-Ōta (present-day Ibaraki Prefecture) to Akita with the assignment of Lord Satake and his suite to Akita in 1602. It was called sasara in the beginning, but in the early 19th century people started to call it the Bon Dance since it is performed every year in the Obon season. The entire program consists of a lion dance, yakko dance (samurai servants’ dance), and horse dance. The horse dance is believed to have been brought here from Hachimantai (the former Aikawa Town).
