Thursday, February 18, 2010

Mizumi Dengaku and Noh Dances.

Mizumi Dengaku and Noh Dances. End of the winter and before the beginning spring season Mizumi, Ikeda villagers wear traditional costume and mask performing nine-dance series. According that nine-dance series, performers wish to happiness and wealth for villager and success their next harvest term. This dance series also one of the entertainment of villagers.

These performances held in "Ukann" shrine locate around the mountain chain and front of the shrine Mizumi River has flow down. Also most part of mountain chain covered by snow and river’s water is freezing. Before starting the performance three performers get down the river and bathing freezing water, who is dressing for god during the nine-dance series.


About 750 years ago, during the Emperor Houjou Tokiyori period people of Mizumi village performed "Dengaku" (rice-plantin) dance to entertain the emperor when who was visit the village. Emperor stays there while the roads were impossible due to a heavy snowfall. In return, Tokiyori taught them how to perform Noh dances.

This was the beginning of the juxtaposition of the dengaku and Noh dance traditions. Since that generation to generation Mizumi Dengaku and Noh dance perform every year 15th February in the Mizumi.





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