Kamito Lion Dance (Kunikami Shrine Festival)

About this event

The Lion Dance of Kamito is a traditional festival dedicated annually on November 23 at the annual festival of Kunikami Shrine to pray for bountiful harvests. Kunikami Shrine was founded in 1326 (the first year of the Karyaku era) by welcoming a divided spirit from Oarai Isosaki Shrine, and the lion dance began in 1395 (the second year of the Oei era) when parishioners donated three lion heads: male lion, female lion, and middle lion. Composed of flutes, drums, dancers, tengu, okame, and hyottoko, the lion dance has been handed down through generations by the eldest sons of the district via the Lion Dance Preservation Society. The dance begins with the maiden dance (miko-mai), followed by the tengu's path-clearing (michi-wari) and shiba-yose, continuing into dances by the female lion, middle lion, and male lion, culminating in a vigorous wild dance, and concluding with a dialogue between hyottoko and okame. This lion dance is a rare tradition preserved only in Sakai Town, Sashima District, and Daigo Town, Kuji District within the prefecture, and the lion heads donated in 1395 (the second year of Oei) are considered shrine treasures. Furthermore, it is said that in 1690 (the third year of Genroku), Mito Mitsukuni, the lord of the Mito Domain, stipulated that the dedication take place on the Day of the Rabbit in the lunar calendar. This lion dance is designated as an Ibaraki Prefecture Designated Cultural Property (Intangible Folk Cultural Property).

Venue

Kunikami Shrine

1550 Kamito, Itako, Ibaraki 311-2435