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Night Kagura at Takachiho Shrine: Where Myths Come Alive (and So Does the Audience)
Wondering what it would be like to watch a live-action retelling of Japanese myths with a side of humor and a dash of divine drama? Then the Night Kagura at Takachiho Shrine is your answer! This isn’t just a performance—it’s an entertainment that takes you for a spiritual joyride to a glimpse of an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, where you get to be involved as the audience too!
Here's an overview for this blog post!
- What is Yokagura?
- The Setting
- What We Watched and Why it is Entertaining
- Making a Reservation for Takachiho Yokagura
- Practical Tips for First-Timers
What Is Yokagura, Anyway?
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| The opening, where the hoshadon informs us on the order of the performance and provided us with context. |
Yokagura (夜神楽, "Night Kagura") is a traditional Shinto ritual dance that’s been performed in Takachiho for generations. It’s a sacred dance-drama that reenacts myths from the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), Japan’s oldest chronicle of myths and legends. The performance is so culturally significant that it’s been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
The full Yokagura consists of 33 dances, performed throughout the entire night. But the nightly show at Takachiho Shrine features a selection of the most famous ones (and for our visit, it was four out of 33). Each dance tells a story, blending reverence with humor, drama, and even a bit of audience participation. It’s like watching a live-action anime, but with gods, masks, and a lot of drumming.
In the kagura performance, you will see dancers performing various acts from singing to dancing and interacting with the audience in the venue. The Kagura dancers are called "hoshadon" (奉仕者), meaning "attendants". Other than performing, they are also in charge of setting the sacred stage known as "koniwa" (神庭), which means "god's garden". Men are the only ones permitted to take on the role of hoshadon.
Each year, about 20 venues where they are mostly homes throughout Takachiho, will be selected to serve as sacred stages for the performance uniquely to each village on different nights from mid-November to February, held to petition the gods for a bountiful harvest for the current year, and fertile conditions for the next. Between these months, there are a total of 33 mythological episodes performed at each of the venues, along with a hayashi ensemble made up of flutes, drums, and other traditional elements. (If you'd like to find out the full schedule of each location to watch all dances instead of just four like what we did, you can refer to this site and make your own arrangements.)
The 33 dances are said to be inspired by the belief that the Bodhisattva Kannon saves people through 33 manifestations. The sacred masks, called "omote-sama," represent the deities themselves, and the origin of the masks is said to be a representation of deities in human form. The following is a table compiling all 33 dances of the Takachiho Yokagura.
Table: List of all 33 Kagura dances in Takachiho. JP source here.
Translation is roughly done by yours truly.
The Kagura songs are sung to accompany each dance, marking the progression and transitions of the movements. While they can vary regionally, the Kagura of Takachiho is called "Torimono Kagura," as the objects held during the dance reflect the wishes and nature of the Kagura.
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| Some props you can observe on the stage |
Depending on the type of Kagura, there are various sacred tools used in their performance. The sound of bells represents the "words of the deities", while sakaki branches and sacred staffs serve as vessels for the deities; A staff is a tool that symbolizes divine power, while also used as a farming tool, a measuring stick, or a gift from mountain dwellers; A bow and arrow are used to ward off evil spirits, and a sword is a sacred object of the water deity. A fan is a ritual tool used in divine ceremonies, and the fan dance begins with the fan closed, then transitions to an "open fan" dance, symbolizing the unfolding of power.
Dances like "Jigatame," "Iwakura," and "Yamamori" use swords and are associated with water deities, but they also include prayers for fertility and safe childbirth, as women's sashes are used as straps. These dances express the wish for the fertility of the land and the prosperity of the village through the birth of descendants.
"That's a lot of dances and a lot of details, Jin! And I don't think we can stay awake all night when we're traveling!"
Don’t worry, I gotchu! That's exactly why I'm writing this post, because what we did was to watch the magical nightly show that is way, WAY easier on our sleep schedule—the Yokagura at Takachiho Shrine.
The Setting: Welcoming and Mystical
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| We're pretty early, but the front to the middle is already fully taken by the time we arrived! |
The Yokagura performance takes place in the Kagura Hall (Kaguraden) at Takachiho Shrine. The space is small, with tatami floors and a stage that feels like it’s been there for centuries (after all, it's a venue to fit 200 visitors at most). The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the warm glow of torches outside the entrance added more to the mystical vibe. After taking your shoes off and entering the hall, you’ll be sitting on the floor (Japanese-style), so get ready to channel your inner samurai and sit cross-legged for an hour!
Our stay with Kamigakure helped us with making our time here easier, to be honest! While our lodging is pretty close to Takachiho Shrine that we were planning to walk there after dinner, Kamigakure offered return trips by vans. Not only that, we were also given zabutons (seat cushions) in a bag so it's given us a much comfortable experience!
The Performance: Myths, Music, and Mischief
If you needed a short recap of what lead to the act of this story to be told in the form of Kagura, I gotchu! A TL;DR: Amaterasu, the sun goddess, hid in a cave after arguing with her brother, and plunged the world into darkness. The other gods lured her out with a mirror and a lively dance. (For more backstory, consider reading my earlier blog post here.)
As we mentioned earlier in this blog post, the show typically consists of four acts in the Yokagura at Takachiho Shrine, where each telling a different story from Japanese mythology. The show begins on time with an introductory speech on the backstory as well as the order of performance. While the performance is not coming with an English audio guide or the sort, an English pamphlet containing its summary was also provided when we confirmed our tickets at the counter. If you are a Japanese speaker like I do, you can also choose a Japanese pamphlet if you'd like! I did it just to practice my reading back then, who would've thought I'd end up using it for a reference in blogging much later?
Also, while it is true that there were a total of 33 shows as introduced in the table above, watching all 33 performances will be pretty physically taxing and it'd defeat our purpose of this trip. So through this Yokagura at Takachiho Shrine, we managed to watch four of them, and even with just four performances, they summarized the myth and the flow of stories perfectly. Not to mention, we didn't need to stay up all night, so it was a blessing!
For our night, we watched the following four dances:
1. Tajikarao no Mai - Dance of Tajikarao (手力雄の舞): The Strongman Deity
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| Look at the stone cave |
Due to Amaterasu hiding herself in Amanoiwato, Tajikarao-no-Mikoto, the god of strength, scouted around Amanoiwato quietly in search for Amaterasu. And while there were close to no words spoken, you can feel the tension from the silence. There's just this magical way where the audience could immerse themselves in the intensity of the atmosphere just from the way he pondered, pausing as he scouted quietly and carefully throughout the performance.
In the later part of the performance, Amano-Uzume makes her appearance, switching places with Tajikarao as part of their plan to lure Amanoterasu out from where she hid, and there comes the second part of the show we watched - Uzume no Mai!
2. Uzume no Mai - Dance of Uzume (鈿女の舞): The Goddess Who Saved the World
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| You can see Uzume using props on stage |
This dance reenacts the myth of Amano-Uzume, the goddess of dawn, who performed a lively dance to lure the sun goddess Amaterasu out of hiding. After Amaterasu retreated into a cave and plunged the world into darkness (though, the hall was nowhere dark, else we won't be able to see a thing, haha!), Uzume stepped up with her infectious energy and playful moves. Her dance is elegant yet joyful, and it’s impossible not to smile as she twirls and leaps across the stage.
Fun Fact: Uzume's dance is said to be the origin of Kagura itself. So, in a way, you’re watching the OG performance that started it all. Also, did we mention that all performers are males? Yet the way they managed to play Uzume so well, where her femininity, elegance and grace was so beautifully portrayed we completely forgot about the fact that it was by a male performer!
3. Totori no Mai - Dance of Totori (戸取の舞): The Rock Door Removal
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| You can see the usage of the staff by Tajikarao |
This dramatic scene shows Tajikarao removing the rock door (Iwatogakure) of Amaterasu's cave, allowing light to return to the world. He literally forced open the cave where Amaterasu was hiding. The stage was set up in a way where they had a backdrop with props of a rock entrance that can actually be moved. This dance is all about power and energy, with bold, expressive movements that make you feel like you’re watching a divine workout session, feeling the tension as the performer portrayed the difficulties in pushing the rock away.
The performer’s vigorous gestures and striking poses are a highlight of this act, and you can almost feel the cave door being ripped open little by little. The dance is intense and dynamic, with the performer using exaggerated movements to convey the sheer force required to move a giant boulder. It’s a reminder that even gods have to work hard sometimes, so I should work hard for my next vacation too!
4. Goshintai no Mai - Dance of the Gods’ Banquet (御神体の舞): The Afterparty
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| Happy ending~ |
After Amaterasu emerges from the cave, the gods throw a massive celebration to welcome her back. Izanagi and Izanami both made sake, became close as they drank, hugged, cuddled, and eventually enjoyed a rather steamy moment together that made us all going "Ooooooooh!" and giggling like kids.
This act, from what I see it, reminds a lot on joy and gratitude, with the performers moving in harmony to symbolize the return of balance to the world. It also makes one remain hopeful and wishing for continuous peace and abundance in life. The music is lively, the energy is infectious, and you might even find yourself clapping along!
Meanwhile, this is also the time where the performers interacted with the audience. I couldn't help but to be immersed in this segment, recalling myself gasping, giggling and laughing like a child when they kissed, and eventually 'collapsed' behind the bush to show how lovey-dovey this couple turned out to be. We also sung some songs, where the lyrics as follows:
今夜さ夜神楽にゃ せろとて来たがサイナーkoyosa yokaguranya serotote kitagasainaaせらにゃそこのけ わしがせるソンソコサイサイseranya sokonoke washi ga seru sonsokosaisaiヨイヨイサッサ ヨイサッサ ヨイヨイサッサ ヨイサッサyoiyoisassa yoisassa yoiyoisassa yoisassaヨイヨイサッサ ヨイサッサ ヨイヨイサッサ ヨイサッサyoiyoisassa yoisassa yoiyoisassa yoisassaさまは三夜の 三日月さまよサイナーsama ha sanya no mikadzukisama yo sainaaよいにちらりと 見たばかりソンソコサイサイyoi ni chirari to mita bakari sonsokosaisai
The above is the Seri Uta. "Seri" is a race (the competition kinda race), and it got its name from the fact that the fish compete with each other, violently slamming their bodies against each other. The Yokagura of this region is of the Izumo origin and has a long history. This is a song handed down in the Takachiho region of Miyazaki Prefecture.
When the harvesting and drying work is finished and the first snow falls on the peaks of the Kyushu mountain range, each district takes turns to perform and dance through the night. It is also a "pre-celebration" event to give thanks for the harvest and pray for a good harvest in the coming year.
So, what makes the Yokagura (or Night Kagura) so special? I hope you can already tell by how I described them above! And if you don't, let me just say that it is their unique blend of reverence and humor. The performers take their roles seriously, but they also know how to have fun! They are experts when it comes to making exaggerated body expressions, and even letting audience members join the action. It’s like watching a mix of a religious ceremony and a comedy show—something you’d never expect but will absolutely love.
Not to mention, one of the best things about the Night Kagura is how interactive it is. The performers often engage with the audience, whether it’s by making eye contact, gesturing for applause, or even getting down the stage to interact with you. (Don’t worry—it’s all in good fun, and no one will force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.) It’s a great way to feel like you’re part of the performance, not just a spectator!
Making a Reservation for Takachiho Yokagura
While it is pretty easy to make reservations in general, there are still some key points to know before making an reservation!
The show is held nightly at 8PM, lasting an hour that showcases four representative dances from the 33 dances of Yokagura.
As long as you know you're staying the night, you can make reservations with the official booking site! Each day they accept 200 people for admission, so if it's not busy you can also make your payment on the spot if there's still a slot available. But we really recommend to book early because you wouldn't want to miss out just because they happen to be sold out on the day of your arrival.
Each ticket for adults would be 1,000 JPY, while children who are still in elementary school age and under can enter for free. If you're in a group tour of 20 people or more, you get a 10% discount and pay 900 yen.
Practical Tips for Enjoying the Night Kagura
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| The torch outside Kaguraden, giving mystical vibes |
With information on making reservations, I'm sure you'd also like to find out if there are any tips to follow, and I gotchu!
- Arrive Early: The Kagura Hall is small, and seating is first-come, first-served. Arrive at least 30 minutes early to snag a good spot. Or if you do happen to stay with Takachiho Kamikakure, there's a van shuttle to pick you up and drop you off in return trips, but make sure you finish dinner and arrive at the meet up spot on time!
- Dress Comfortably: You’ll be sitting on the floor, so wear something cozy. And don’t forget to take off your shoes before entering!
- Book Early: It's highly recommended to make a booking online! Especially when it's close to the weekends, it'd be a bummer to not able to get a seat when you're already there!
- Add Your Accommodation Details: If you're staying the night in Takchiho (which is highly recommended, by the way!) remember to add your accommodation details when you're asked for it when you make reservations of the show online at the official booking site! (Also, you can book a stay with Kamigakure like how we did for extra convenience in transportation, read more here!)
- Stay Engaged: Don’t be afraid to clap, cheer, or laugh out loud. The performers feed off the audience’s energy, so the more you participate, the more fun it’ll be.
Final Thoughts: A Night to Remember
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| The performers interacting with the audience |
The Yokagura at Takachiho Shrine is more than just a performance—it’s a cultural experience that brings Japanese myths to life in the most entertaining way possible. Whether you’re laughing at the gods’ antics, marveling at the traditional music, or getting pulled into the action, it’s an hour you won’t soon forget.
So, have you watch the Yokagura during your visit? Or are you planning to visit Takachiho soon? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear from you—I’d love to hear from you! And don’t forget to book your tickets and accommodations using my links for a seamless experience:
Flights: Trip.com
Hotels: Agoda
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