Location: Ani Silver Mine, Kita-Akita City Site(s) of performance: Anywhere Date(s): Anytime Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Furyū The Ani Silver Mine was the largest mine in Japan in the mid-18th century, constituting a source of precious revenue for the government of the Akita Domain. Karame was a process in mine production where …
Location: Odate City Site(s) of performance: Anywhere Date(s): Anytime Category: Furyū Karakaranzu is a kind of folkloric song, which was also played for Bon dances. Karakaranzu is an alternate name for the Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), also called yoshikiri. The song is rather monotonous but people say it has certain elegance. Karakaranzu started in …
Location: Hanawa, Kazuno City Site(s) of performance: Various places in the community Date(s): from late August to the day of Chushu-no-Meigetsu (the day of full moon closest to the autumnal equinox) Designation: Prefecture-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Furyū After the annual festival of Sakiwai-Inari Shrine, the districts in the town of Hanawa perform town …
Location: Tokko, Hinai-machi, Odate City Site(s) of performance: Hinai-machi Folkloric Dance Tradition Hall Date(s): May 28 on the lunar calendar (annual festival of Dainichi Shrine) [At the time of the survey conducted in fiscal year 2020, it is performed only in the club activities of the local elementary school.] Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property …
Location: Okuzo, Hinai-machi, Odate City Site(s) of performance: Kinzan Cemetery, Kinzan Shrine, Inari Shrine, and other places in the community Date(s): August 13 Category: Taiko-Furyū and Matsuri-Bayashi Kinzan Daiko (Kinzan Drums) was born with the mine at Ōkuzo. It was performed to entertain and relax the mine workers. It is now performed to appease the …
Location: Shitobashi, Mitane Town Site(s) of performance: The community center Date(s): August 13 and 14 Designation: Prefecture-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku According to the records, an ascetic, Daikyōin Shōzan of the Abe family, went to the Kansai region to study, where he learned the Yamabushi Kagura, which was a kind of …
Location: Izumi-Yōka, Moritake, Mitane Town Site(s) of performance: Shinmei Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): July 1 (opening day), August 13 (prayer for ancestors), and September 1 (closing day) Designation: Town-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Sasara and Horse Dance The sasara dance of this region consists of a lion dance, stick dance, …
Location: Moritake, Mitane Town Site(s) of performance: Mitane Town Agricultural Village Kabuki Hall Date(s): Sunday before Elderly Day (3rd Monday of September) Designation: Town-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Puppet Theater and Kabuki The origin of Moritake Kabuki is unclear, but it probably started when Kabuki was offered to the deity at Moritake Hachiman Shrine, …
Location: Shimo-Kawauchi, Chōkai-machi, Yuri-Honjo City Site(s) of performance: Hakusan Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): April 20, August 14–16 Designation: State-Designated Important Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The name Honkai Bangaku comes from the name of the priest Honkai, a shugen (Buddhist ascetic) of the 17th century who belonged to …
Location: Shimo-Jinego, Chōkai-machi, Yuri-Honjo City Site(s) of performance: Various places in the community Date(s): January 3, May 1, and August 14 Designation: State-Designated Important Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The name Honkai Bangaku comes from the name of the priest Honkai, a shugen (Buddhist ascetic) of the 17th century who belonged to …