Location: Konura, Nikaho City
Site(s) of performance: Konoura-yama Shrine and other places in the community
Date(s): February 4, April 23, and 2nd Sunday of May and the day before
Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property
Category: Taiko-Furyū and Matsuri-Bayashi
Konoura Kagura is a big drum performance by the community of Motomachi and 5 other communities of Konoura. In the mid-19th century a young man of Kurokawa (in the former Konoura Town) went to the Shonai region (in present-day Yamagata Prefecture) to learn the techniques of cattle breeding, where he learned the bangaku of the region as well. After he came back, he taught bangaku to other people in his own community. In fact, what is left of the tradition today is mostly of big drums and has little bangaku. Ever since the devastation of the Second World War, the youth of Motomach and other communities of Konoura have been performing the big drums as an offering at Konoura-yama Shrine in prayer for good harvests, abundant fish catches, and safe navigation.
