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水戸藩徳川家御用神楽 総本家 15代家元 柳貴家 勝蔵 社中

greeting

The Mito Daikagura has existed since before the Edo period, and during the Edo period, it toured the Mito domain to perform purification rituals for the Mito Tokugawa family. I am currently the 15th head of the family, and I am protecting the traditions of the Mito Daikagura.

Even though it is a local performing art, it is difficult to preserve the tradition as a profession. First, you have to master the skills of the performing art of O-Kagura. This requires daily practice, and you learn by working hard. In the past, people would say, "Buy your troubles even if you have to," but now the trend is, "Don't sell your troubles even if you have to." For this reason, O-Kagura, which was distributed throughout the country, has gone out of business one after another as its successors have become company employees. The only few remaining are a few groups in Mito, Aizu, Ise, Izumo, and Tokyo. It is only a matter of time before they decrease in number. Although it is different from O-Kagura, I heard that the famous Niigata Kakubeijishi has lost its flute player and is no longer able to perform the music properly.

It is impossible to revive a traditional performing art once it has disappeared, performed by a professional. This is a problem that Mito-style O-kagura is currently facing. This includes the hardships of learning the art and financial issues. I manage to cover this by diversifying my business, but it is no easy task to train successors while learning the art. O-kagura was born from the common people, and has lived alongside them, sharing their joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness, and above all, praying for their safety, health, prosperity of their families, and other happiness. I want to pass on the wonderfulness of Mito O-kagura as a folk performing art that lives on alongside the common people.

As a master of O-Kagura, I have taken over the will of my respected father, and for the sake of my predecessors who have entrusted the future of O-Kagura to me, as the 15th head of Mito O-Kagura, a school with over 300 years of history, I am determined to do my best to protect, develop and pass on the traditions, and I have made it my life's mission to do so. I would therefore like to conclude my greetings by asking for your continued patronage and encouragement.

The 15th head of the Mitohan Tokugawake Goyou Kagura, Yanagiya Katsuzo

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The origin of Mito Daikagura

Origin

A traditional performing art with 300 years of history and a long history of serving as a ceremonial rite for the Tokugawa family of the Mito domain

Kagura has been a ritual music for shrines since ancient times, but when an epidemic spread throughout the city of Ise, the priests of Ise Shrine went around to the homes of their parishioners with lion dancers to purify them. This was called Dai-Kagura (Dai-Kagura).

Over the years, this O-Kagura became a popular form of entertainment, and in the Edo period, light-hearted humor was added to the acrobatic arts of the Hoga-shi, such as "Kyokumari" (ball-playing) and "Ayatori" (cradle), and developed into an entertainment that added excitement to Edo culture. Shishimai, along with acrobatic arts, was introduced from far-flung Central Asia, via China and Korea, over 1,000 years ago, and was part of the entertainment known as Sangaku, and can truly be called an international form of entertainment that transcends national languages and borders.

In the early modern period, schools such as the Ise school and the Atsuta school were born within Daikagura, and it became widely popular throughout the country, including Edo Daikagura.

In addition to the Mito Daikagura, the Watanabe clan, a priest from Yoshida-dai-cho (now Mito City), was in charge of the official Kagura at the festivals of Mito Toshogu Shrine, but in April 1785, Watanabe Kinnoemon handed over the rights to the Miyauchi clan. On New Year's Day, the clan travels to the Mito domain's territory of Nakanogo Maehara (now Ishioka, Kitaibaraki City) to perform a New Year's Day ritual, and from the 2nd, they travel around the former Taga district of Otsuhama Nishimaru, Isohara, Takahagi, Hitachi, and other areas, as well as the districts of Kuji, Naka, Niiharu, Kagyo, and Higashiibaraki, and the Mito domain, to pray for peace in the world, the banishment of evil spirits, and a good harvest. This old tradition has been preserved to this day.

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access

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Yanagiya Katsuzo Entertainment Agency

2-13-23 Tokiwacho, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, 310-0033

(50m from Kairakuen Park, Onarimon Gate)

Lion Kagura

Tel.029-227-6688 Fax.029-224-6688

Entertainment agency

The 15th head of the Mitohan Tokugawake Goyou KaguraYanagiya Katsuzo, and his troupe

Magicians, hosts, rakugo, manzai, and other entertainers, planning, and composition

Mito Daikagura Performing Arts Class

Lion dance, acrobatics, flute, drums, shamisen

© Mito Daikagura Headquarters

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