Iwami Kagura for the first time
Next to the famous Hiroshima Prefecture lies Shimane Prefecture, the western part of which is called the Iwami Region. The Iwami region is home to the famous Iwami Kagura, a Japanese heritage site. Iwami Kagura is a local performing art that has been handed down from ancient times and is still rooted in the region and passed on today.
It is based on Japanese mythology and the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), and dancers wear masks and dance to the gods and demons in the stories. Based on Shintoism, folklore and anecdotes, there are about 30 performances.
Basically, it has been handed down as a Shinto ritual at shrines, but in this region it has developed as entertainment for local people, so we invite you to experience the gorgeous costumes, the heroic dances, the rhythm of the proceedings, the variety of performances and the dances of ‘Japanese gods’ versus ‘demons’ and so on.
