kagura

Shintō music and dance

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June 30, 2026

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Kagura is a traditional Japanese form of music and dance dedicated to Shinto deities. It is performed at village festivals and in Shinto shrines. The dances are symbolic reenactments, notably of the myth where the sun goddess Amaterasu was lured from a cave.12

Kagura is accompanied by religious chants and instruments such as drums, gongs, and flutes. There are different forms, including mi-kagura for the imperial palace, o-kagura for large shrines, and sato-kagura for local shrines. These performances aim to entertain and appease the kami (deities).134

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…used in Shintō religious ceremonies, kagura, is said to have originated with her performance. In popular mythology, as the embodiment of the female principle, she is often associated with Sarudahiko (q.v.), who represents male sexuality and who offered himself as a guide to the divine grandchild Ninigi when he descended…
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…used in Shintō religious ceremonies, kagura, is said to have originated with her performance. In popular mythology, as the embodiment of the female principle, she is often associated with Sarudahiko (q.v.), who represents male sexuality and who offered himself as a guide to the divine grandchild Ninigi when he descended…
Read More