Shishimai and Bangaku

Location: Maenosawa, Naka-Hitane, Chokai-machi, Yuri-Honjo City Site(s) of performance: Hitane Shrine, the community center, and other places in the community Date(s): May 5, 1st or 2nd Sunday of September, and mid-November Designation: State-Designated Important Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The name of Honkai Bangaku comes from the name of the priest Honkai, […]

Location: Shimo-Hitane, Chōkai-machi, Yuri-Honjo City Site(s) of performance: The community center and other places in the community Date(s): January 14, August 16, and December 23 Designation: State-Designated Important Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The name of Honkai Bangaku comes from the name of the priest Honkai, a shugen (Buddhist ascetic) of the

Location: Hirane, Kami-Kawauchi, Chōkai-machi, Yuri-Honjo City Site(s) of performance: Hachiman Shrine and other places in the community Date(s): May 15 and August 15 Designation: State-Designated Important Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The name of Honkai Bangaku comes from the name of the priest Honkai, a shugen (Buddhist ascetic) of the 17th century

Location: Tsuchiya, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Hakusan Shrine’s administrator’s house and other places in the community Date(s): August 13 Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The villagers of Tsuchiya learned lion dance bangaku from the community of Nishisawa-Yashiki (in the former Yuri Town) around the 10th year of Meiji (1877). The lion head is older and

Location: Nigorikawa, Arasawa, Yashima-machi, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Kizakai-Ōmonoimi Shrine, Kaizan Shrine, and other places in the community Date(s): July 8, August 13, and sometime in September Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku It is said that the villagers in this community learned bangaku directly from the priest Honkai, but

Location: Iwaki-Tomita, Yurihonjo City Site(s) of performance: Gassan Shrine, the house in charge of the festival, and the other places in the community Date(s): 4th Saturday and Sunday of April Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The Gassan Shrine Lion Dance (also known as Tomita Lion Dance) is performed in the

Location: Noda, Taihei-Yamaya, Akita City Site(s) of performance: Anywhere Date(s): Anytime Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The bangaku mask of Yamaya Bangaku is itself a sacred object enshrined at Ikimen Shrine. The mask (which is a city-designated tangible cultural property) is believed to date from the Kamakura era (13th to

Location: Toshi, Nikaho City Site(s) of performance: Toshi Community Center, the Miura family’s residence, and other places in the community Date(s): August 13, 14, and 19 Designation: Prefecture-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku This bangaku belongs to the Honkai School of bangaku, the shugen ascetics’ bangaku which is practiced in many communities

Location: Akinomiya, Yuzawa City Site(s) of performance: Yakunai Hall and other places in the community Date(s): Saturday and Sunday closest to the 210th day from the First Spring Day (around September 1) and Sunday in early November Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku Yakunai Bangaku is a bangaku for the annual

Location: Niida, Jumonji-machi, Yokote City Site(s) of performance: Shinzan Shrine, Niida Community Center, and other places in the community Date(s): September 7 and 8 Designation: Prefecture-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Shishimai and Bangaku The origin of Niida Bangaku goes back to ancient times. In the late 9th century, a person from Kyoto, Yahagi Ōinosuke