About this event
A traditional event held on the 16th day of the 10th lunar month in the Yuwan-gama settlement of Yamato Village, Kagoshima Prefecture. This dance originates from a legend that when the settlement was once struck by a major fire, residents threw mud from rice paddies to extinguish the flames, and it carries prayers for fire prevention, good health, and longevity. The served kasha-mochi (rice cakes) are said to represent the paddy mud used during that fire extinguishment. Young men with their faces covered by scarves or furoshiki cloths visit each house and perform dances in the front yards. There are no fixed arm and leg movements like in the August Dance (Hachigatsu Odori), and to ward off bad luck for the community, they dance until late into the night without missing a single household. Continuing for over 400 years, this event reflects lessons learned from major fires and water shortages, along with prayers for family safety and abundant harvests, as expressed in the song lyrics.
Source website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Yuwan-gama Settlement Unattended Sales Stand
379 Yuwan-gama, Yamato-son, Oshima-gun, Kagoshima 894-3102
Open in Google Maps ↗