Ise Dai-Kagura So-mai (Masuda Shrine)

About this event

Ise Dai-Kagura is a traditional performing art based in Dayu, Kuwana City, which is said to have toured various regions distributing amulets of Ise Jingu since the Edo period. At Masuda Shrine, the members of the Ise Dai-Kagura Kosha gather before departing for the New Year to grandly dedicate kagura. This sacred ritual dedicates kagura on behalf of people who cannot visit Ise Jingu, and all pieces are dedicated within the precinct of Masuda Shrine every year on December 24. The program largely consists of two parts: the lion dance to ward off evil and the hokage acrobatic stunts. The refined techniques of well-trained professionals and the well-coordinated acrobatics of the clown roles called chari sweep spectators into a vortex of gasps and laughter. The music used for hoka is also valuable as historical documentation of modern street performances, and even today, groups called kumi tour the Kinki and Hokuriku regions and elsewhere from Kuwana City. This kagura is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and its tradition and techniques are highly evaluated. In case of rain, it will be dedicated indoors.

Venue

Masuda Shrine

155 Oaza Dayu, Kuwana, Mie 511-0826