Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do mi-kagura, o-kagura, and sato-kagura differ?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Japanese music
Courtesan playing a samisen, Japanese woodcut print.
In the context of Shinto music, the term kagura refers to ritual music and dance. These traditions are categorized based on their performance location and setting:1
- Mi-kagura: This music and ritual are used exclusively within the imperial palace grounds. It is a complex, exclusively male event featuring unison male choruses accompanied by the hichiriki, a kagura-bue flute, the wagon zither, and shaku byōshi clappers.1
- O-kagura: This refers to the music and ritual performed in large Shinto shrines.1
- Sato-kagura: This term denotes Shinto music specifically intended for local shrines. In the context of folk theatricals, sato-kagura music is used when dance or pantomime is involved, often utilizing a Noh flute combined with an ō-daiko and a diabyoshi barrel drum.12
While these forms differ by venue and complexity, the suzu bell tree is a common instrument found across all these events.1