神楽(かぐら)

かぐら
noun
kagura; sacred Shinto music and dance
academicleisure
1. kagura, sacred Shinto music and dance
A form of ritual music and dance performed to honor and entertain the Shinto gods (kami). One of Japan's oldest performing arts, originating in myths about the goddess Ame no Uzume dancing to lure Amaterasu out of a cave. Performed at shrines during festivals.
神社(じんじゃ)で神楽(かぐら)が奉納(ほうのう)された。
Kagura was performed as an offering at the shrine.
秋祭(あきまつ)りでは毎年(まいとし)地元(じもと)の人(ひと)たちが神楽(かぐら)を舞(ま)う。
At the autumn festival, local people perform kagura dances every year.
神楽(かぐら)の起源(きげん)は、天照大神(あまてらすおおみかみ)が天(あま)の岩戸(いわと)に隠(かく)れた際(さい)に天宇受売命(あめのうずめのみこと)が踊(おど)ったことにあるとされる。
The origin of kagura is said to lie in the dance performed by Ame no Uzume when Amaterasu hid in the cave of heaven.

Usage

There are two main types: 御(み)神楽(かぐら) (court kagura performed at the imperial palace) and 里(さと)神楽(かぐら) (folk kagura performed at local shrines). Folk kagura varies greatly by region and is a living tradition still performed at festivals throughout Japan.

Etymology

Believed to derive from 神(かみ)座(くら) (seat of the gods), referring to the sacred space where the gods gather to be entertained.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.28 8:12 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
14000/14078_kagura