About Kagura
Kagura is a music genre that emerged in Japan. It is usually classed as a form of sacred dance and Shinto music.
From Wikipedia
Kagura (神楽(かぐら), "god-entertainment") is a type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The term is a contraction of the phrase kami no kura ("seat of god"), indicating the presence of gods (kami) in the practice.
One major function of kagura is chinkon (purifying and shaking the spirit), involving a procession-trance process. Usually a female shaman will perform the dance and obtain the oracle from the god—in the setting, the dancer herself turns into the god during the performance. Once strictly a ceremonial art derived from kamigakari (神懸, "oracular divinification"), kagura has evolved in many directions over the span of more than a millennium. Today, it is very much a living tradition, with rituals tied to the rhythms of the agricultural calendar, thriving primarily in parts of Shimane Prefecture, and urban centers such as Hiroshima.
Genre family tree
Parent genres (↑) and subgenres (↓) of Kagura.
- ↑ sacred dance
- ↑ Shinto music
Frequently asked questions
What is Kagura?
Kagura is a music genre that emerged in Japan. It is usually classed as a form of sacred dance and Shinto music.
Where and when did Kagura originate?
Kagura originated in Japan.