Motoyashiki Kagura

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Category Name:Kagura

Motoyashiki Kagura, which originated in the myth of Amaterasu Omikami, used to be dedicated to Motoyashiki Shrine from the nights of November 14th to the 15th. It is currently dedicated on the first Sunday of November. It is unknown when and from where it was transmitted, but a banner remains in the village of Motoyashiki from 1629 (the 6th year of Kanei) and it is believed to have been dedicated since ancient times. The dancers are boys between the ages of 8 and 10 from the Motoyashiki district who holds a gohei (staff with plaited paper streamers) while gracefully circiling the haiden (forward room of a shrine) . One set consists of three counterclockwise rotations and three clockwise rotations, and 12 sets are performed over a period of about 6 hours.

Municipality

Yatsushiro City

Category

Kagura

Specific Location

Shimodake Motoyashiki, Izumi-machi

Cultural Property Designation

City-designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property October 30, 1987

Performance Date(s)

the 1st Sunday in November

Performance Location

Motoyashiki Shrine

Preservation Society

Motoyashiki Kagura Preservation Society