石見神楽なにわ館

ABOUTA traditional performing art from ancient times
from the western Iwami region of Shimane Prefecture.

石見神楽

Kagura is the oldest arts performance in Japan, which was once popular throughout the country.

Iwami is one of many Kagura styles, a traditional performing art that has been handed down in the western part of Shimane Prefecture (Iwami region).
Kagura is famous for dancing in costumes based on Japanese mythology. With luxurious expensive costumes and expressive faces, it has quite the record among overseas performances! Among a number of theatrical plays, one of Japan's oldest historical and chronicle records, the Great Serpent Yamata No Orochi, will make an appearance!
At Iwami Kagura Naniwakan, you will be overwhelmed with its sense of rhythm with the dance and movement of the Orochi serpents to the beats of Dadaiko Drums creating an exquisite play!
A fine play will be put together for everyone by a small band playing small drums, flute and bell chimes. 

PROGRAMRepertoire introduction

IOROCHI

Bringing mythologies to life, in a spectacular show that is told to be Iwami Kagura's most powerful attraction.
Please enjoy the tricks and slithering movements of the great serpents that is said to have brought about reform in Iwami Kagura.

Susanō no Omikoto, a descendant from the heavens and reached the country of Izumo's river.
An old couple who were grieving the deaths of their previous daughters and worry that their last daughter will be next in line to be eaten by a horrible serpent!
They come across a warrior named Susanō, whom they work with to sets up poison for the serpent, and beautifully slays the serpent in a breath-taking heroic act!
This is a story of when their daughter was saved from harm!

STORY

Susanō no Omikoto, a descendant from the heavens and reached the river of Izumo no Kuni. And then, he heard a crying voice at the Kawakami river. When he asked as he approached, an old couple was crying with a beautiful girl in between them.
The couple had originally had eight daughters, but every year one of them was eaten by the monster named Yamata The Great Serpent. Therefore, Kushi Inada Hime became their only remaining daughter. The couple had originally had eight daughters, but every year one of them was eaten by the monster named Yamata The Great Serpent. Therefore, Kushi Inada Hime became their only remaining daughter.
And because the remaining Kushi Inada Hime will soon be eaten, it is said that she was constantly sad and crying. for endless nights.
Susano requested Kushi Inada Hime as his wife in return for defeating the Great Serpent. The old couple happily accepted the offer.
Then he touched the body of the Kushi Inada Hime and she instantly transformed it into the form of a Japanese comb brush. Susano took the comb brush that Kushi Inada Hime turned into, and placed it in his styled hair.

Ashinazuchi and Tenazuki brewed the sake 8 times, set up fences on 8 sides surrounding the great serpent, and waited for it to drink it.
The time has passed and the eight headed serpent has appeared! There were eight heads eight tails, and for each head there were red eyes that glowed like red demon's eyes.Pines and bushes were growing on their backs, with lengths that extended between eight hills and eight valleys. The serpent slithered its way for a sip, put its head in one barrel and drank away, and got drunk and dozed asleep.
There, Susano drew his sword named Totsukasurugi, and slashed the great serpent into shreds! As he tried slashing the tail, a part of the blade of the sword got chipped. So he split open the tail and found a sword inside. It is the so-called "Kusanagi sword".
After that, he searched for a place to get married and settle down with Kushi Inada Hime who had become a Japanese comb, and decided on the Izumo area in a place called Suga and built a palace there. And then he read "Thick Clouds are put up, fences within fences stand in Izumo, I made fences within fences to a wife's garbage that has fences within fences.As told by the oldest chronicles of Japan

IIEbisu

恵比須(えびす)

In the minddle of a pilgrimage to Izumo Taisha Shrine, an adult traveler arrives at Miho Shrine and waits for the appearance of a god.
And there, appeared Ebisu in a very congratulatory performance that reveals his well-being with movements that would never fail to steal anyone's attention!

This is a theatrical dance play of an enshrined deity at Miho Shrine known as the Fisherman Ebisu-sama from the land of Izumo.
He is an ancestor worshipped as the god of fishing and commerce due to how much he likes fishing, and is the first prince of the great deity of magic and medicine (Okuninushi).

IIIHachiman

八幡(はちまん)

I heard that the sixth devil demon king named Hachiman Maro flew from a foreign country killing many people one after another,
and he was exterminated with a “Devine Bow” and a “Instrumental Arrow”. Justice (God) vs. Devil (Oni).
This is a typical twist of an Iwami Kagura.

It is a performance that honors the god of heroism, Hachiman Maro, the revered repertoire at the festival god of Hachimangū Shrine.

※On special performances "Orochi Extermination" will be held.

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