Lion Kagura (Shishi-Kagura)

Snake-Head Kagura of Karamatsu Shrine

Location: Shitadai, Kyowa-Sakai, Daisen City Site(s) of performance: Karamatsu Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): May 3 (the day of annual festival of Karamatsu Shrine) in the modern calendar and late September in the lunar calendar Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishi-Kagura The snake-head kagura is a lion dance performed by …

Snake-Head Kagura of Karamatsu Shrine Read More »

Izusan Shrine Lion Kagura

Location: Izumi-cho, Daisen City Site(s) of performance: The house of the priest of Izusan Shrine, Chōfukuji Temple, and other places in the community Date(s): July 1–14 Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishi-Kagura This shishi-kagura is a lion dance with two performers for one lion. It is not a kagura of the Dai-Kagura kind. …

Izusan Shrine Lion Kagura Read More »

Dewa Shrine Gongen Dance

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 …

Dewa Shrine Gongen Dance Read More »

Kushi Shrine Lion Head Dance (Hatsu-uma Rituals)

Location: Himeno, Nikaho City Site(s) of performance: Kushi Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): Hatsu-uma (i.e., the first Day of the Ox in February) Category: Shishi-Kagura The performance mainly consists of the Lion Head Dance (also called the Twelve-Number Lion Dance), a kind of shishimai (lion dance) on the occasion of the Inari …

Kushi Shrine Lion Head Dance (Hatsu-uma Rituals) Read More »