Location: Kinonezaka, Yasawagi, Omori-machi, Yokote City
Site(s) of performance: Haushibetsu Shrine of Mt. Horowa
Date(s): November 7 and 8
Designation: State-Designated Important Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property
Category: Miko-Kagura and Yudate-Kagura
This kagura performance is part of the divine rituals to be conducted at Haushibetsu Shrine on Mt. Horowa, one of the nine shrines of Dewa Province that were inscribed in the ‘Engishiki,’ the 10th-century official list of Shinto shrines. It is performed as divine offerings only once every year from the evening of November 7 to the morning of November 8. Because of the date of performance, it is called November Kagura. With its hot water ceremony, it is often said to be of Ise Dai-Kagura style or pure Shinto style, but there are some elements of shugen ascetics’ influence such as the characteristic divine song for the Maiden Dance and the inclusion of the Mountain God Dance and Ebisu Dance.
