Hitoyoshi City Bo-Odori (Stick/Staff Dance) (Otsuka)
Category Name:Furyu (Stick/Staff Dance)
Around 1897, in order to cultivate a samurai spirit, Denjiro from Kagoshima introduced the naginata dance to more than 10 people in the Otsuka area, including Shiiba Denzo. The dance is performed by 18 dancers and 1 to 3 singers. 6 dancers in a team strike each other with a 6' long stick and a long sickle, and 6 dancers in a team strike each other with a 3' wooden sword and a 6' long stick. The dance is composed of four types of dances: "Naginata Odori," in which four people dance in pairs with a naginata and a small sickle, and "Sanjaku Uchiwake Odori," in which six people dance in pairs with a 3' wooden sword. The dancers change partners after each swing, and hit each other 10 times back and forth in tune with the other dancers. There are three types of songs: "Michi Uta," "Miyairi no Uta," "Odori no Uta," and "Kaeri no Uta".
Municipality
Hitoyoshi City
Category
Furyu (Stick/Staff Dance)
Specific Location
Ootsuka-machi
Cultural Property Designation
Kumamoto Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, June 26, 1961
Performance Date(s)
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