Kagura and Lion Dance (Hachiman Shrine)

About this event

Information regarding kagura (sacred Shinto dance) and lion dance (shishimai) handed down in Sammu City. At Hachiman Shrine, kagura and lion dance dating back to the mid-Edo period are dedicated during the annual festival of the tutelary deity. The three lions, accompanied by a guiding monkey and fox, travel around the villages and are believed to ward off evil spirits and pestilence. Programs include Taira Kagura, Yotsuashe, Sampiki Yotsuashe, Torisashi, Watonai, and Furikomi, and consist of pulling the lion head on a hand-drawn cart, dancers, rear-cover performers, and hayashi musicians playing flutes, taiko drums, and tsuzumi drums. This kagura and lion dance is held at Hachiman Shrine from the second Saturday to Sunday of October every year. In addition, various other types of kagura such as Junimen Kagura, 25-Za Kagura, Daidai Kagura, and Kotohira Kagura are dedicated at shrines throughout Sammu City, deeply reflecting local culture and beliefs. These traditional performing arts are preserved by local residents as important rituals to pray for bountiful harvests and the safety of parishioners.

Venue

Shirahata Hachiman Shrine

824 Shirahata, Sammu, Chiba 289-1306