Location: Osarizawa, Kazuno City Site(s) of performance: Yama Shrine, Entsūji Temple, and other places in the community Date(s): August 13 Category: Taiko-Furyū and Matsuri-Bayashi The Ōnaori Ōdaiko (Onaori Big Drums) festival is said to have been started by the samurais who returned from the Summer Campaign of Osaka in 1615. For this reason, it is …
Location: Uwa-Nawashiro, Hachimantai, Kazuno City Site(s) of performance: Yasaka Shrine, Amaterasu Sumemioya Shrine, and other places in the community Date(s): August 15 and 16 (annual festival of the Amaterasu Sumemioya Shrine) Category: Furyū The Sakibarai Dance is a kind of exorcism dance that is performed before the departure of a mikoshi (a religious palanquin carrying …
Taninai Amaterasu Sumemioya Shrine Sakibarai Dance Read More »
Location: Osato Kawara, Hachimantai, Kazuno City Site(s) of performance: Inari Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): August 15 and 16 (annual festival of Inari Shrine) Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Furyū The Sakibarai Dance is a kind of exorcism dance that is performed before the departure of a mikoshi (a religious …
Location: Kami-Kosaka, Kosaka Town Site(s) of performance: Former Shinzan Temple at Dewa Shrine Date(s): September 8 Designation: Town-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishi-Kagura This Gongen Dance used to be offered at the vernal and autumnal festivals of Dewa Shrine alternately by the three communities of Kami-Kosaka, Naka-Kosaka, and Shimo-Kosaka. During the Edo era, because …
Location: Kamimura-Shita, Kami-Koani Village Site(s) of performance: Kumano Shrine Date(s): August 13 Category: Sasara and Horse Dance This dance is performed every year on August 13 at the occasion of Obon (an annual Japanese Buddhist event for commemorating one’s ancestors). As to the origin of the dance here, some say it was first performed by …
Location: Fujikoto, Fujisato Towan Site(s) of performance: Fujisato Town Regional Development Center Date(s): Mid-October at the Fujisato Town Festival (no longer performed at the time of the survey, conducted in fiscal year 2020) Category: Shishimai and Bangaku Kanazawa Bangaku was part of divine rituals and was offered to the Kanazawa Fudōson Shrine. This bangaku was …
Location: Osawa, Fujisato Town Site(s) of performance: Various places in the community Date(s): May 4 (Kumano Shrine’s annual festival) Category: Furyū Around the 30th year of Meiji (1897), several performers stayed in the community of Osawa for a couple of days while going around all over the country. They showed the villagers their performance with …
Location: Zaimoku-cho, Kita-Akita City Site(s) of performance: Ginza Street Date(s): August 14 and 15 Category: Bon Dance In 1867, the leader of merchants in the former Takanosu Town started this Bon dance in the town market for the prayer of good harvest with traditional dances such as Dainosaka Dance and Josuke Dance. The Bon dance …
Location: Sakae-Ota, Kita-Akita City Site(s) of performance: Shinmei Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): September 13 Category: Shishimai and Bangaku It is said that this bangaku was created by Hōrakuin Minetsugu, who was the chief administrator of the Ōta Shinmei Shrine, who learned Kagura and Nō plays when he studied in Kyoto. He …
Location: Imaizumi, Kita-Akita City Site(s) of performance: Various places in the community Date(s): August 14 and 15 Category: Sasara and Horse Dance The origin of the Imaizumi Horse Dance Festival is unknown. It is said to represent the famous Battle of Kawanakajima between Shingen Takeda and Kenshin Uesugi in the 16th century, but it is …