In Aso City "Tora-mai" is known as "Shishi-mai" when it is dedicated to the gods, but because it is so fearsome, when performed on other occasions it is called "Tora-mai" (Tiger Dance). The Kurahara Tiger Dance has 2 tigers, each tiger is performed by 2 people; one controls the head and one the tail end of the tiger. The tiger dance is performed at the lunar New Year to celebrate and pray for a good harvest. The dance consists of the following parts: "Mai-dashi", "Nidan-mai"(performers stand on each other's shoulders to perform the tiger and the dance), "Ozenmai" and "Sandantsugi" (performers make a tower of 3 people standing on each other's shoulders).