If you have watched Demon Slayer and developed a taste for sword dances (Kagura) performed by masked men in fabulous outfits, then look no further! Before there was Kabuki, there was Noh, and before that there was Kagura. A ritual dance that served as entertainment for the gods.
The first Kagura was performed by the goddess Ame-no-Uzume to lure Amaterasu, the sun goddess, from her cave to bring her light back to the world of men. Amaterasu emerged from the cave to see what all the commotion was about after hearing the other gods laugh and cheer. Susanoo, the kami of storms and brother of Amaterasu was responsible for his sister's seclusion. The God of Storms scared the Sun Goddess into the cave after a competition between the two ended in dispute without a clear winner. Susanoo in a bout of rage, flayed a horse and flung it into his sister's weaving hall, killing one of her handmaidens.
Maruoka’s Hyuga Kagura draws its roots from Miyazaki, known as the birthplace of Japan. The Arima clan ruled over Miyazaki before moving to Maruoka in 1695, bringing their customs with them. 16 sacred dances have been preserved, and a selection is carried out each year in spectacular fashion. The performances will delight any Japanophile! Several unique masks are worn by the dancers. Susanoo-no-Mikoto's mask in particular was mesmerizing with its deep furrows and big golden eyes.
The Maruoka domain is home to Maruoka Castle, one of the 12 surviving castles of Japan. The Arima’s known for the Christian Daimyo Arima Harunobu, had a rocky road after the Daimyo’s death and the persecution of Christians, faced in-fighting, a peasant rebellion and demotion until finally being promoted to the Maruoka domain where they remained until the Meiji Restoration.
