Hiroshima Kagura

Kagura is a form of dramatic dance theater that originated as an annual offering to Shinto gods at harvest time. Hiroshima has one of Japan's most active kagura scenes, with around 300 troupes across the prefecture performing stories passed down over centuries. Popular pieces include Tsuchi-gumo, about defeated clan leaders transformed into vengeful spider demons, and Yamata no Orochi, in which an eight-headed serpent represents the floodwaters threatening a village's rice fields. Performances feature vivid costumes and expressive masks. Regular shows can be seen at the Hiroshima Prefectural Citizen's Culture Center and the YMCA International Cultural Hall.