Takachiho Shrine: Kagura Hall 高千穂神社：神楽殿

Official explanation

The key episodes of Japanese mythology have been preserved in and around the town of Takachiho in part thanks to the yokagura dance tradition. Formal performances of the dances take place annually at 20 select venues throughout the town and are largely held for the residents of those communities. However, in recent years, Takachiho yokagura has started to attract visitors, both from other parts of Japan and from overseas. To provide a venue that shares this sacred heritage with visitors from outside the area, the Kagura Hall (Kaguraden) within the grounds of Takachiho Shrine puts on four of the 33 episodes. The spacious hall just a few steps from the main sanctuary of the shrine has a broad stage festooned with masks of the kind used in the dances. Dancers, mostly male performers known as honadon who are accompanied by a hayashi ensemble playing traditional flutes and drums, enact the dances of the gods Tajikarao, Uzume, Totori, and Goshintai throughout the year.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.