Location: Numadate, Omonogawa-machi, Yokote City
Site(s) of performance: Numadate-Hachiman Shrine and other places in the community
Date(s): 2nd Sunday of September (the day of the annual festival of Numadate-Hachiman Shrine)
Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property
Category: Shishimai and Bangaku
The Numadate-Hachiman Lion Dance is performed as an offering at the annual festival of Numadate-Hachiman Shrine. In 1070, Minamoto Yoshiie brought a small Buddha statue here from Iwashimizu-Hachiman Shrine in Kyoto, which is now worshipped as the main deity at this shrine. The first lion dance was performed at that occasion. Only one dance number has been passed down to
Date(s): the Mouth-Cutting Dance. This dance describes a scene where the warrior (dancer) fights against a lion with a sword and finally prevails by cutting the lion’s mouth in half. The music is played with drums, Japanese flutes, and hand cymbals.

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