We head over to the neighboring village of Ichiyama for the annual childrens kagura performance. Its being held in a small one-room community center in the middle of the village. The sliding doors have been taken off the front of the building so it acts as a stage onto the street. Above the road a large blue tarp has been suspended in case of rain, and chairs are set up in the road.

As we arrive a shinto ceremony is still taking place. At the rear of the room are a couple of kamidanas (small household shrines) with offerings in front of them, and the priest intoning a prayer.

The ceremony is to ask the kami for protection for the crops. The rice has begunto be harvested, but most of it is still unharvested, and the typhoon season is just beginning, and it is from the typhoons that protection is asked for.

The priest has come from a nearby town as Ichiyama no longer has its own priest. The last one passed away 12 or 15 years ago, and the villagers expected that his son would return from the big city and take over his fathers position, but very, very few of those who move away come back. So a beautiful big old house up next to the shrine sits empty and slowly disintegrates.

After the ceremony finishes 2 gentlemen move around offering cups and sake to everyone. Slowly more people arrive and settle in and then more sake is offered around, though this time only a thimblefull. This is special sake, Omiki, the sake that had been on the altar as an offering to the kami.

The musicians start up, so we know the dancing will soon begin. A gentleman comes around and gives everyone a selection of "bar snacks". dried squid, beans, nuts etc.

The first dance begins and it is a sedate and formal dance as befitting its purpose, for the 4 young boys dancing are purifying the performance space in readiness of inviting the kami to descend and enjoy the dancing. Kagura involves deep concentration, and without masks these boys faces show it. They dont look out into the audience to see if mom or dad are watching.

And the sake cups are refilled.

The next dance involves Hachiman, and of coursr a demon (Oni) The childrens Kagura is in every way the same as regular adult kagura. Only boys perform, as it is "original" kagura, so it is explained to me, though I guess they dont realize that female Miko used to do the dances.

And the sake cups are refilled.

Tonight there will only be six dances. A friend who is a dancer with the Ichiyama group tells me that when he was a kid they would do 12 or more dances, but as the village population has reduced, there are fewer and fewer kids.

and the sake cups are refilled