In the Takahashi River Basin, the traditional performing art of Bitchu Kagura has been passed down continuously since the Edo period, more than 200 years ago. Even today, kagura groups and clubs (organizations that perform Bitchu Kagura) are active in various areas, dedicating kagura performances at local festivals and other events.
The annual Bitchu Kagura Appreciation Gathering, held to introduce more people to the appeal of kagura, took place at Geibunkan Hall on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Here is a report on this event, packed with highlights, including a rare collaboration with Iwami Kagura and a special guest appearance to mark the 30th anniversary.
The information presented was current when this article was published in June 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the Bitchu Kagura Appreciation Gathering
The Bitchu Kagura Appreciation Gathering is an event organized by the Bitchu Kagura Preservation and Promotion Association. Performances are held in Okayama around January and in Kurashiki around May each year.
The 30th Kurashiki performance was held at Geibunkan Hall on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Marking the 30th performance, Iwami Kagura from Shimane Prefecture joined as a guest performer, adding to the occasion.
What is Bitchu Kagura?
Bitchu Kagura is said to have originated in the ancient belief in Kojin passed down in the Bitchu region (western Okayama Prefecture). In Kojin Kagura, performed to pacify the unruly gods of the land, dances such as the Sakaki Dance and Sarutahiko Dance retain traces of their origins as Shinto rituals.
About 200 years ago, during the Edo period, Nishibayashi Kokkyo, a Shinto priest from what is now Nariwa-cho in Takahashi City, devised the dramatically rich Jindai Kagura that has been passed down to the present day.
With the emergence of Jindai Kagura, based on Izumo mythology and featuring stories such as the Slaying of the Great Serpent, kagura gradually took on a stronger character as popular entertainment rather than a religious ritual.
It was also designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979.
The Day's Events
The venue opened at noon, and the lobby of Geibunkan Hall had activities to enjoy while waiting for the performance to begin.
This was a live demonstration of making kagura masks, used in Bitchu Kagura. An artisan carved a mask from a block of wood right before our eyes.
The merchandise area sold items related to Bitchu Kagura, including Bitchu Kagura mask-shaped monaka and boxed lunches.
As the performance time approached, we made our way to the hall. Seating was unreserved, so everyone chose a seat they liked.
Kurashiki City Mayor Ito Kaori also attended. She watched Bitchu Kagura alongside the large audience and gave a greeting during the intermission.
Dance as a Shinto Ritual
The Bitchu Kagura Appreciation Gathering began at 12:30 p.m.
First, a dance with the ritual purpose of purifying and cleansing the space was dedicated.
Sakaki Dance
The Sakaki Dance is performed to purify everything.
Wearing the robes of a Shinto priest, the dancer performs while chanting kagura songs to the accompaniment of a taiko drummer.
Sarutahiko Dance
The Sarutahiko Dance is performed as a highlight.
Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto, wearing a long-nosed mask reminiscent of a tengu, dances with a fan, sword, and naginata (polearm). It is a vigorous and spirited dance.
As the god who “opens the way,” Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto guided the heavenly grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto. The dance is imbued with the meaning of driving away evil spirits throughout the kagura performance.
The audience bursts into applause at the dancers’ graceful, perfectly synchronized swordplay.
The Dramatic “Jindai Kagura”
Next came Jindai Kagura, a signature form of Bitchu Kagura.
Devised by the Edo-period Shinto priest Nishibayashi Kokkyo, it is based on Izumo mythology and enhances kagura’s dramatic and entertaining qualities.
Transfer of Sovereignty
This kagura presents as a theatrical performance an episode from mythology recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki: Okuninushi-no-Mikoto relinquishes control of Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni (the Japanese archipelago), which he ruled, to the gods of Takamagahara (the heavenly realm). This episode is known as the Transfer of Sovereignty.
It is said that Okuninushi-no-Mikoto is enshrined at Izumo Taisha Shrine because of this episode.
The highlight of the first half is the scene in which Okuninushi-no-Mikoto scatters “seeds of good fortune” toward the audience. It is a kind of mochi throwing, but since the performance was held in a hall, only a few were thrown into the audience as part of the staging (after the performance, seeds of good fortune were handed out to attendees in the lobby).
When performed as an offering at shrine festivals and other events, people of all ages, from children to adults, crowd around the seeds of good fortune, creating great excitement.
“Tai-tai-tsuri” is a dance performed by Okuninushi-no-Mikoto’s son, Kotoshironushi-no-Mikoto. Also known affectionately as Ebisu, Kotoshironushi-no-Mikoto is popular for the humorous gestures he makes while catching a sea bream.
Slaying the Great Serpent
“Slaying the Great Serpent” is the climactic performance of Bitchu Kagura.
Banished from Takamagahara for his misdeeds, Susanoo-no-Mikoto slays Yamata-no-Orochi to save Kushinadahime. It is a highly theatrical performance.
During the scene in which sake is brewed to make the poisoned drink for Yamata-no-Orochi, Matsuo Myojin, a sake-brewing deity who is popular in the comic role, makes an appearance. With his lighthearted storytelling incorporating topical references, he gets the audience roaring with laughter.
Matsuo Myojin is a deity who appears only in Bitchu Kagura, not in the Kojiki or Nihon Shoki. The sake-brewing scene preserves the memory of kagura as entertainment in the rural areas of Bitchu.
A joint performance with Iwami Kagura
Marking the 30th performance, Iwami Kagura was offered as a guest performance by Iwami Jindai Kagura Kamiko Shachu from Hamada City, Shimane Prefecture.
Like Bitchu Kagura, Iwami Kagura was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979.
During the climactic Slaying the Great Serpent, which brought the performance to a close, the audience broke into loud applause at the thrilling performance by the serpent, which slithered all over the stage, and Susanoo-no-Mikoto.
From the Writer
I had known for some time that Bitchu Kagura performances were held at Geibunkan Hall, but this was my first time attending one. Experiencing Bitchu Kagura in a hall had a different feel from the lively festivals and events, and I was able to sit back and enjoy it at length.
Iwami Kagura also appeared as a guest performance this time, and I found it fascinating to watch while comparing the differences with Bitchu Kagura, such as the costumes and musical accompaniment.
I was also struck by the fact that young performers are active in both Bitchu Kagura and Iwami Kagura. At a time when rural areas are facing declining birthrates and depopulation, I hope these traditional local performing arts will be passed on to the next generation.
30th Bitchu Kagura Appreciation Performance in Kurashiki Information
| Name | 30th Bitchu Kagura Appreciation Performance in Kurashiki |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, May 24, 2026 12:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. (doors open at 12:00 p.m.) |
| Location | 1-18-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, Geibunkan Hall |
| Admission (tax included) | Advance: ¥1,500 At the door: ¥1,800 Free for junior high school students and younger, and people with disabilities (plus one accompanying person) |
| Website | Bitchu Kagura Kurashiki-sha official Instagram |
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Written by Kenichi Yamane. Bitchu Kagura (Okayama Bunko), Nihon Bunkyo Shuppan, September 1972, 182 pages