Hiroshima City Kagura Troupe Performances Series October-December [Yuki Lodge]

Held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays from 2025/10/12 (Sun) to 12/28 (Sun)

Ja-kiri (The Eight-Headed Demon Snake)

Cast out of heaven, Susano-o-no-Mikoto finds himself upstream on the banks of the Hīkawa River in Izumo Province. There, he meets an elderly couple named Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi, who are lamenting the fact that they once had eight daughters, but one was devoured every year by the eight-headed demon snake, Yamata-no-Orochi, and tonight, the demon would come for their eighth daughter, Inada-hime. Susano-o comes up with a plan to get the demon drunk on poisoned sake and then attack with his Totsuka-no-Tsurugi sword while the demon slumbers. The plan works and Susano-o finds a sword embedded in the demon’s tail, which he names the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds and presents it to Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. He then marries Inada-hime.

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Naginata-mai (Dance of the Naginata Pole Sword)

After the death of Pangu (primordial being and creation figure in Chinese mythology), his five sons, all princes in their own right, begin to fight over dividing their inheritance. This performance begins with the youngest prince, Prince Gorō, practicing with his naginata pole sword before heading into battle against the other princes. It is related to the play Shomōbun, a story of inheritance.

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Momiji-gari (Maple Leaf-Viewing Party)(The Eight-Headed Demon Snake)

Originally a Noh chant, it was turned into a kagura play featuring Taira-no-Koremochi, a military commander during the Heian period, as the main character. When rumors reach the capital that demon women, who live deep in the forests of Mt. Togakushi in Shinshū, are terrorizing the people of the surrounding villages, Koremochi is ordered to destroy them and heads to Shinshū. But, the demon women, having heard that Koremochi is on his way, decide to lure him to a maple leaf-viewing party deep in the mountain forest. There, they pour him cup after cup of sake and once he’s inebriated, the demons strike. However, the god Yahata-no-Kami realizes the danger that Koremochi is in and sends his messenger, Takeuchi-no-Kami, to deliver a sacred sword to him. Regaining consciousness thanks to divine intervention, Koremochi uses the divine sword to defeat the demon women.

Chant: In a village without demons in Togakushi, the sun sets and tonight, the faces of demon women await

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Susubarai (Purification Ritual Dance) (The Eight-Headed Demon Snake)

The earthly god Sarutahiko was ordered by the Sun Goddess to help guide the god Ninigi-no-Mikoto, who descends from heaven to travel to Mt. Takachiho. This story can be found in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, two of the oldest books of Japanese mythology. In the story, he brandishes a sword to chase away the evil spirits that try to attack them on their travels, so this play can be interpreted as warding off evil spirits. As such, during this ritual dance, Sarutahiko purifies the space of impurities.

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Henbai (Ritual Dance)

This play is the basic form of Ise Kagura. Two performers dance holding bells and then swords, and while it is often referred to as heimai (dancing using sacred objects), it is also a tachimai (sword dance). It is considered to be an auspicious dance that welcomes the gods to the purified kagura stage with gratitude

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Kitsune-mai (Dance of the Fox)

A hyottoko (comical Japanese male character with a puckered mouth skewed to one side) tries to till his field and plant seeds but a fox demon keeps getting in his way. Angered, the hyottoko tries to chase the fox demon away, but the demon ends up controlling him through farting, which leads to a variety of hilarious pranks and tricks on the poor farmer. As the play is centered on seed planting, it is thought to represent the hopes for a bountiful harvest.

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Tsuri-mai (Sword Dance)

After the death of the creator god known as King Banko, his four prince sons (Tarō of the East, Jirō of the South, Saburō of the West, Shirō of the North) and his fifth prince son (Gorō of the Center) fight over their inheritance. In this play, the four sons train for a way to fight if one of them should fall. Each of the three performers holds two swords and dance with majesty and valor. The play exalts the sacred swords they hold.

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The Four Princes

After the death of the creator god known as King Banko, his four prince sons (Tarō of the East, Jirō of the South, Saburō of the West, Shirō of the North) and his fifth prince son (Gorō of the Center) fight over their inheritance. In this play, the four sons train for a way to fight if one of them should fall. Each of the three performers holds two swords and dance with majesty and valor. The play exalts the sacred swords they hold.

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Kami-oroshi (Invoking the Gods)

As kagura is performed, in principle, together with the gods, the stage must first be purified as a holy space for them. This ceremonial dance purifies the stage and invokes the gods to come and watch the performance.

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Susuhaki-no-Mai (Dance of Sweeping/Purification Ritual)

This performance purifies the stage before kagura is performed. It also drives away evil spirits as it is performed wearing a red-bearded mask with a long nose while holding an oni-bō staff and fan.

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Shinra Saburō (The Later Three-Year War)

During the Former Nine-Year’s war, the powerful Abe clan of Mutsu Province is utterly destroyed by Minamoto-no-Yoriyoshi and his son, Yoshi’ie, for their defiance of the emperor. Later on, in Dewa Province in the north, troubles brew within the Kiyohara clan, the family of Kiyohara Takenori, who joined the Minamoto clan’s side during the Former Nine-Year’s War and took over for the Abe clan.

Takenori’s grandchildren, Masahira, Kiyohira, and Iehira, are the cause of the infighting of the Kiyohara clan. Yoshi’ie, who returned to Mutsu when he was appointed governor of the province, tries to calm the fighting. On the advice of his uncle Takehira, the youngest son, Kiyohara Iehira, barricades himself in Kanazawa-no-Saku, a fortified military outpost said to be an impregnable fortress. Yoshi’ie’s forces struggle to attack the outpost, and three years go by without resolution.

Yoshi’ie’s younger brother, Minamoto-no-Yoshimitsu, learns of his big brother’s struggles and quits his government job to join Yoshi’ie in battle. En route to the battle, he is followed by Toyohara Tokiaki, who admires Yoshimitsu like a big brother. Tokiaki begs Yoshimitsu to allow him to join the fight, but Yoshimitsu admonishes him, telling him to go home.

Joined by Yoshimitsu, Yoshi’ie’s forces are finally able to seize the once-impregnable fortress. Takehira and Iehira lose their lives and the great Kiyohara clan of Dewa is destroyed. This battle would come to be known as the Later-Three Year War.

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Rashōmon

At Rashōmon, Watanabe-no-Tsuna cuts off the left arm of the demon Ibaraki-dōji and brings it back home with him. When Shuten-dōji learns that his underling’s arm has been severed, he hatches a plan to get it back by transforming into Tsuna’s old nurse, Shirotae. The demon’s plan works and Shuten-dōji attacks Tsuna with magic before reattaching Ibaraki-dōji’s arm. The demons then use their power to fly back to their home on Mt. Ōeyama. (This is the second play in the Mt. Ōeyama trilogy.)

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The Tale of the Yatori River

At the Battle of Minato River in 1336, Ōmori Hikoshichi of Matsuzaki in Iyo Province succeeded in driving Kusunoki Masashige and his forces to commit suicide. For his distinguished service, he was awarded a vast expanse of land by Ashikaga Takauji and thereby joined the ranks of powerful families. However, upon becoming one of the nouveau riche after living as a commoner, he spent his days frivolously living in the lap of luxury and watching sarugaku theater.

One day, while on the way to a spring festival at Konren-ji Temple, he meets a young woman named Chihaya-hime at the Yatori River. She is heading to the same temple but lost her way. The two begin to head to the temple together, but, unable to cross the fast-flowing river by herself, Hikoshichi carries Chihaya-hime on his back as he crosses. Suddenly, feels himself being weighed down, and when he looks at his reflection in the river, Chihaya-hime has turned into a fearsome demon. It turns out that she is the vengeful spirit of Kusunoki Masashige, the very man that Hikoshichi had driven to take his own life.

Hearing the commotion in the river, Hikoshichi’s retainers rush to the scene, saving Hikoshichi from almost certain death and banishing the spirit of Masashige using the Great Wisdom Sutra.

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The Tale of the Yatori River

At the Battle of Minato River in 1336, Ōmori Hikoshichi of Matsuzaki in Iyo Province succeeded in driving Kusunoki Masashige and his forces to commit suicide. For his distinguished service, he was awarded a vast expanse of land by Ashikaga Takauji and thereby joined the ranks of powerful families. However, upon becoming one of the nouveau riche after living as a commoner, he spent his days frivolously living in the lap of luxury and watching sarugaku theater.

One day, while on the way to a spring festival at Konren-ji Temple, he meets a young woman named Chihaya-hime at the Yatori River. She is heading to the same temple but lost her way. The two begin to head to the temple together, but, unable to cross the fast-flowing river by herself, Hikoshichi carries Chihaya-hime on his back as he crosses. Suddenly, feels himself being weighed down, and when he looks at his reflection in the river, Chihaya-hime has turned into a fearsome demon. It turns out that she is the vengeful spirit of Kusunoki Masashige, the very man that Hikoshichi had driven to take his own life.

Hearing the commotion in the river, Hikoshichi’s retainers rush to the scene, saving Hikoshichi from almost certain death and banishing the spirit of Masashige using the Great Wisdom Sutra.

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Susuhaki (Purification Ritual Dance)

This ritual dance features the god Sarutahiko powerfully sweeping the stage to rid it of impurities before welcoming the gods to the kagura hall.

Sarutahiko is well known as the god who guides Ninigi-no-Mikoto, grandchild of the Sun Goddess, to Mt. Takachiho. For his accomplishments, he is worshipped as a god that brings good luck, road safety, and safety for families. His red costume and tengu (birdlike supernatural being) mask give him an air of godlike power and dignity. This performance is crucial for Jūni Jingi Kagura and performed first at autumn festival performances of kagura at Shinto shrines.

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Kitsune-mai (Dance of the Fox)

TA villager finds a demon fox destroying his crops and seeks to teach the fox a lesson. However, when the villager is turned into a fox by the demon’s magic, the entire village is plagued by the villager’s evil deeds. In the end, the demon fox is destroyed by a famed archer and renowned swordsman.
The idea behind an evil fox demon that beguiles human beings comes from ancient China. In Japan, however, foxes are revered as messengers of the Inari deity. The play ends with the slaying of the demon fox bringing peace to the people; the spirit of the demon fox is then enshrined as the Inari Myōjin, an eminent deity.
The Dance of the Fox is a play which exorcises evil and prays for a bountiful harvest.

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