Dai-Kagura

Bugyōmen-Kagura

Location: Bugyomen, Kawanishi, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Shiratori Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): 2nd Saturday of April (annual festival of Shiratori Shrine) Category: Dai-Kagura Bugyōmen-Kagura is derived from Ise Dai-Kagura. Dancers and musicians are clearly separated. Music is played with drums, Japanese flutes, and gongs. The program consists of primary dances …

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Kameda Dai-Kagura

Location: Iwaki-Kameda, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Kumano Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): 2nd Saturday and Sunday of July Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Dai-Kagura The origin of this kagura is unclear, but according to legend, around the time of the Kumano Shrine’s reconstruction in 1773, Kyōgoku Yojiemon of Shimachi …

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Tsukidate Kagura

Location: Jonai-Tsukidate, Yashima-machi, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Yasaka Hachiman Shrine, Yashima Shinmei Shrine, and other places in the community Date(s): April 14 and 15 and 2nd Saturday and Sunday of September (no longer practiced at the time of survey in fiscal year 2011) Category: Dai-Kagura Tsukidate Kagura is offered at the annual festival of …

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Yoshida Kagura

Location: Yoshida, Hinokinai, Nishiki-machi, Semboku City Site(s) of performance: Isosaki Shrine Date(s): August 14 (the day of the annual festival of Isosaki Shrine) (no longer practiced at the time of survey in fiscal year 2012) Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Dai-Kagura This is one of the lion dances that were practiced at the …

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Niiyama Kagura

Location: Niiyama, Omonogawa-machi, Yokote City Site(s) of performance: Yudonosan Shrine Date(s): August 13 (no longer practiced at the time of survey in fiscal year 2012) Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Dai-Kagura A mountain ascetics’ kagura was brought to Yudonosan Shrine during the Kan-ei period (1624–1643). It is not clear whether the same is …

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Kumanokozawa Kagura

Location: Arasawa, Yashima-machi, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Various places in the community Date(s): January 1, August 13 and 14, and December 31 Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Dai-Kagura This kagura is closely linked to Ranbasan-Iwashimizu Shrine and used to be called Ranbasan Kagura. According to the record ‘Ranba Troupe Records’ of 1909, …

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Kurotsuchi Kagura

Location: Kami-Kurotsuchi, Shimizu, Daisen city Site(s) of performance: Donpan Square Date(s): August 16 (Donpan Festival) Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Dai-Kagura This is a shishimai (lion dance) of the Dai-Kagura School, for which the role of the lion is performed by two dancers. It used to be offered at the annual festival of …

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Fukamauchi Kagura

Location: Fukamauchi, Kami-Yoshida, Hiraka-machi, Yokote City Site(s) of performance: Itago Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): August 23 (the day of annual festival of Itago Shrine) Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Dai-Kagura The origin of this kagura goes back to the time of the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. A samurai …

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Kaizawa Kagura-Shishi

Location: Kami-Kaizawa, Fushimi, Chokai-machi, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Various places in the community Date(s): August 14 Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Dai-Kagura This shishimai (lion dance) belongs to the school of Ise Dai-Kagura. Dancers and musicians take part in the performance. One of the dancers puts his own head in the lion …

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Fukuda Lion Dance

Location: Fukuda, Kita-Akita City Site(s) of performance: Fukuda Inari Shrine and Fukuda Shishimai Hall Date(s): August 14 Category: Dai-Kagura This shishimai (lion dance) seems to belong to the School of Ise Dai-Kagura. The role of one lion is performed by two people. Around 1805, a villager learned the kagura at the town of Noshiro, where …

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