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TRAVEL

Daidai Kagura -The Ritual Dance of Iki, the Island of the Gods-

TRAVEL 2017 30 mins Episode(s): 1 english Japanese
[Festivals of Japan Season 1]

Iki Island, in Nagasaki Prefecture, has about 1,000 shrines. The Iki Kagura is an ancient and sacred dance practiced only by Shinto priests and is an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. The sacred ceremony is carried out with the playing of flute and drum accompanied by dance. Every year on the 20th of December, the longest dance of the Iki Kagura, the Daidai Kagura, is performed at the Sumiyoshi Shrine. This dance lasts over 7 hours and is considered a time of pleasure and celebration for both people and the gods.

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Part of "Festivals of Japan - Season 1"

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