Directly from local residents! Experience the local performing arts of Tono City, Iwate Prefecture: Kagura (Shinto music and dance) and Shishiodori (lion dance)!

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Local performing arts of Tono City, Iwate Prefecture
Tono City in Iwate Prefecture is a town rich in natural beauty with original Japanese landscapes and is known as the home of folk tales represented by "Tono Monogatari" (Tales of Tono). Surrounded by beautiful mountains and clear streams, the town retains its old-fashioned atmosphere, and visitors can feel the nostalgic Japanese scenery and the history spun by the people close at hand.
Tono City is also a treasure house of local performing arts, with a variety of traditional performing arts such as Kagura, Shishi Odori, Nanbu Bayashi, and Sansa Odori still being carefully passed down to the next generation. There are as many as 60 preservation groups in the city. The culture that continues to be preserved by the local people brings excitement and new discoveries to visitors. Kagura and Shishiodori are representative of Tono's local performing arts.

Kagura, a form of kagura in which people incarnate gods and perform prayers and declarations

Kagura is one of the traditional performing arts handed down throughout Japan and developed as a dance dedicated to the gods. Tono's kagura has been handed down through the Shinto Kagura and Yamabushi Kagura traditions. The Shinto Kagura has a gentle tempo and graceful appearance, while the Yamabushi Kagura is fast and dynamic. The Yamabushi school is faster and more dynamic. It is performed at festivals of Shinto shrines to drive away evil spirits, offer prayers for purification, and pray for a good harvest. The performance can be funny and relaxing, or it can be spirited and captivating.
Kagura (Shinto music and dance)

The powerful Shishiodori (lion dance), which expresses the conflict and harmony between man and nature.

Shishiodori is a performance art in which the performers dance heroically with a curtain spread wide while wearing a large lion's head, which represents a four-legged spirit animal such as a deer or a lion. It is characterized by a group of "shishi," dancers wearing shishi-heads with manes called "kannagara," and dancers with swords and other tools in their hands. The Shika Odori dance spread throughout the Tohoku region is said to have originated as a memorial service for deer, but in Tono, the dancers dance in pairs, representing the "conflict and harmony between man and nature. The Shishiodori dance, performed to the sounds of drums and flutes, is so powerful that once you see it, you will never forget it.
Shishiodori dance

Experience the culture through the local performing arts. A new form of travel to experience culture through local performing arts

Tono City has now launched a tour that allows visitors to experience local performing arts and get a closer look at Tono's culture. Until now, local performing arts could only be seen during festivals, but now you can experience them only through tours, such as visiting the place where they are usually practiced and touching their costumes. Through interaction with local people who have inherited the Kagura and Shishiodori dance, you can learn more about the lifestyle and culture of Tono, making this an unforgettable experience that will be a lasting memory of your trip.
Scenes from the tour
Currently, the following experience contents are being accepted.

Farming and observing the practice of Kagura, a local performing art


This is an experience program to observe the practice of "Kagura", a traditional Japanese music and dance performance that is deeply rooted in the local community. While experiencing local life through lodging at a farmhouse guest house, visitors will be able to experience the powerful dance of kagura and the passion of the local people who carry on the tradition. You can also enjoy interacting with local residents and deeply feel the connection between culture and people in this experience.
Sales】Tono Traveler's Market (Tono Mountain, Village, and Lifestyle Network, a nonprofit organization)
Group photo of tour participants
For more details and reservations, please visit

Become a Shishi! Play with the Shishi! Experience the local performing art "Shishi Odori" tour

Date] Every Saturday night (minimum 2 people)
[Overview] This tour allows participants to actually experience one of Tono's representative local performing arts, "Shishiodori" (lion dance). Participants will watch the powerful Shishiodori dance right in front of them, touch Shishiodori costumes, and interact with local Shishiodori groups through the experience of participating in practice. Through this valuable experience, visitors can experience the depth and joy of local culture.
Tono City Tourism Association
Commemorative photo with "Shishi
"Shishi ni naru, Shishi shishi to soneru! Play with Shishi! Tono's Local Performing Arts Experience Tour" for details and reservations.

Let's go on an exciting trip to experience tradition!

A trip to discover the history of Tono and the charm of local culture through local performing arts. This tour is especially recommended for those seeking a unique experience of Japanese culture and the region.
Why not leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and enjoy an inspiring trip to Tono City, where history and traditions come alive and heal the soul? You will surely create your own "Tono Story" that you will want to tell to someone.
Shishi-Dance Guide
Tono City Tourism Information Website "Tono Time" Special Page "Know, See, Experience Tono's Local Performing Arts"
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