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Honkai Shishimai-Bangaku (Sagenabe-kōchū)

Location: Sagenabe, Kami-Kawauchi, Chōkai-machi, Yuri-Honjo City
Site(s) of performance: Ōhinomiya Shrine and other places in the community
Date(s): January 1, April 28, August 13–15, early December (no longer performed as of the time of the survey in fiscal year 2011)
Category: Shishimai and Bangaku
As it was started by a bangaku master from Hirane (former Chokai Town) in the early years of the Showa era (1926–1989), the Sagenabe Lion Dance belongs to the Honkai School, but its bangaku dance is closer to that of the Shikanai School. The name of the Honkai School of lion dance comes from the name of the priest Honkai, a shugen (Buddhist ascetic) of the 17th century who belonged to a temple in the area, which was affiliated with Sampō-in in Kyoto in the Daigo Temple group. He taught bangaku in the villages in the distant parts of the Chōkai area, and in those villages, it became common to perform lion dances before the bangaku dances with some religious (shugendo) gestures. The tradition was interrupted here by 1955, but was revived around 1968 with only its lion dances.

About Shishimai and Bangaku