okina

…program may begin with an okina, which is essentially an invocation for peace and prosperity in dance form.

The ritual play Okina, performed as an auspicious prayer for longevity at the beginning of a Noh-kyōgen program, is in both repertoires, and some suggest that the kyōgen version is the older. The style of kyōgen music (koutai) is distinct from that of Noh music; it is derived…