mythology | Takachiho-no-Yokagura Takamagahara mythologyHyuga mythologyMythologyTakachiho shrineAmanoiwato shrineKunimigaokaTakachiho-no-YokaguraTakachiho Kagura Summary, Takachiho Yokagura Yokagura at Takachiho When the winter months roll in and most cities tuck in to brace for the cold, Takachiho’s residents are instead in the midst of planning for a local custom that traces back well over eight hundred years:yokagura, nighttime kagura. Yokagura is a Shinto ritual in the form … Read More Kagura Performers and the Stage, Takachiho Yokagura Kagura Performers(Hosha) In the Takachiho region, those who train and perform kagura are referred to as hosha. They often begin training when they are young, around elementary school age, and are instructed by a local kagura master. When they are not performing, hosha are members of the communit… Read More Masks and Kagura Paper Decorations, Takachiho Yokagura Masks (Omote-sama) The masks used in kagura are celled omote-sama. They are revered as an embodiment of the kami deities themselves and are treated with the utmost respect. Each omote-sama has its own expression and history, and some are said to date back to the beginning of the kagura custom ov… Read More Kagura Performances and Yokagura Etiquette, Takachiho Yokagura Kagura Performances Yokagrura consists of various combinations of thirty-three acts through a whole night. In these performances, kami deities from various legends make appearances. These deities have a wide array of temperaments, appearances, and skills, and sometimes they may interact with the… Read More
