Shonai Kagura

Form of traditional sacred dance performed regularly in Shonai, Yufu, Oita, where the style is distinctly energetic and theatrical compared to more solemn kagura traditions elsewhere. Performers wear elaborate costumes and fierce masks to enact mythological stories involving gods, demons, and heroes, and the audience is expected to laugh, cheer, and react along with the drama. The annual Shonai Festival on November 3 features marathon performances that run for hours. Smaller performances take place at local shrines and community halls throughout the year, and the town's kagura museum provides background on the costumes, masks, and music used to tell these ancient stories.