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Itado Bangaku

Location: Itado, Minase, Yuzawa City
Site(s) of performance: Okumiya Shrine and other places in the community
Date(s): August 19 (formally August 1 in the lunar calendar)
Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property
Category: Shishimai and Bangaku
Itado Bangaku is a kind of bangaku, or originally a kagura of shugen ascetics that later became popularized and part of community traditions. At the community of Itado, it used to be performed on August 1 in the lunar calendar in a recently built house, but it is now performed on August 19 in the modern calendar in Okumiya Shrine as part of its annual festival. Even today, however, on August 1 in the lunar calendar (usually a day in early September) the tradition is partially maintained and the lion goes around the community visiting the entrance of individual houses. Music is played with long drums, Japanese flutes, and hand cymbals.

About Shishimai and Bangaku