Experience Bitchū’s traditional performing art, with its mythological dramas and dances, at Korakuen Garden
Bitchū Kagura
The 2026 edition of Bitchū has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/13Ended
- Season / frequency
- In principle, the second Sunday of every month / Regular performances (generally once a month)
- Location
- Kakumeikan Main Hall, Okayama Korakuen Garden
- Area
- Okayama Prefecture・Okayama City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 10 min–3 h 40 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free admission to the performance. However, an admission fee is required for Okayama Korakuen Garden.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Bitchū Kagura is a traditional Okayama performing art featuring story-rich mythological dramas and a variety of pieces, including sword, cloth, and rope dances. Regular performances by the preservation and promotion association are held at Okayama Korakuen Garden.
About Bitchū Kagura
Bitchū Kagura is a ritual-object kagura rooted in Aragami worship practiced in the Bitchū region.
Performances related to mythology and the deities are presented on a stage called a shinden or in the tatami room of a private home.
It is designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property for its distinctive regional characteristics.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
A highlight is the story-rich stage performances based on mythology.
Performances include “The Opening of Amanoiwato,” “Ōkuninushi-no-Mikoto Ceding the Land,” and “Susanoo-no-Mikoto’s Serpent-Slaying,” as well as sword, cloth, and rope dances.
The delivery of oracles in keeping with the progression of the performance is also a distinctive feature of Bitchū Kagura.
Source: 「備中神楽定期公演」令和8年9月13日／後楽園
Experience Bitchū’s traditional performing art, with its mythological dramas and dances, at Korakuen Garden
What to expect
At regular performances, the preservation and promotion association presents Bitchū Kagura on stage.
The 2026 performances at Okayama Korakuen Garden were held twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, with each performance lasting about 1 hour.
You can experience the theatrical expression of kagura handed down in the Bitchū region through performances based on mythology.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
参加費：観賞料無料。
However, an admission fee is required for Okayama Korakuen Garden.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kakumeikan Main Hall, Okayama Korakuen Garden (1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture)
- Train and bus
Take a direct bus from bus stop 1 at JR Okayama Station (about 10 minutes), or a bus bound for Fujiwara Danchi (about 15 minutes), and get off at “Korakuen-mae.”
By tram, get off at “Shiroshita” and walk about 10 minutes.
It is also listed as about a 25-minute walk from JR Okayama Station.
- By car
About 20 minutes from Okayama IC on the Sanyo Expressway.
- Parking
570 standard-car spaces, 12 accessible spaces, and 12 spaces for large vehicles.
Parking costs 100 yen per 40 minutes for standard cars and 1,000 yen per day for large vehicles.
Source: 【2026年度】岡山後楽園 備中神楽定期公演｜イベント｜岡山観光WEB【公式】- 岡山県の観光・旅行情報ならココ！
Address 1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
Regular performances at Okayama Korakuen Garden in 2026 were announced for June 14, July 12, September 13, and December 13.
Performances are generally held on the second Sunday of each month, with 2 performances per day: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The 2026 information also lists performances for the following year on February 14 and March 14.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Okayama Prefecture / Okayama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Admission to the performance is free, but a fee is required to enter Okayama Korakuen Garden, where it is held.
There are 2 performances, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with different times for each. Please plan your visit around the performance you wish to attend.
The program and fees may change depending on the time of year, so it is a good idea to check the latest information before setting out.
Nearby attractions
備前国総社宮
岡山県岡山市中区祇園にある神社
吉備の中山
岡山市にある山
Kibitsuhiko Shrine
岡山市北区にある神社
吉備津神社
岡山市北区にある神社
夢二郷土美術館
岡山県岡山市にある美術館
岡山城
岡山県の城
岡山市半田山植物園
岡山県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
岡山市立オリエント美術館
岡山市北区にある美術館
岡山県立博物館
岡山市北区の後楽園外苑にある博物館
岡山県立美術館
岡山市北区にある美術館
岡山神社
日本の岡山市にある神社
後楽園
岡山県岡山市北区にある庭園
Origins and History of Bitchū Kagura
Bitchū Kagura has been handed down as a ritual-object kagura rooted in Aragami worship in the Bitchū region.
Of the mythological dramas performed today, the sections “The Opening of Amanoiwato,” “Ōkuninushi-no-Mikoto Ceding the Land,” and “Susanoo-no-Mikoto’s Serpent-Slaying” are said to have been recast in a new style by Nishibayashi Kokkyō at the end of the Edo period.
It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979.
Official information
The official Okayama Korakuen Garden website provides the dates, times, venue, and admission information for regular Bitchū Kagura performances.
The performances are presented by the Bitchū Kagura Preservation and Promotion Association.
The phone number for Okayama Korakuen Garden is also listed as a contact for venue inquiries.
Bitchū Kagura at a Glance
Bitchū Kagura is a traditional performing art from the Bitchū region, featuring mythological dramas and dances rooted in Aragami worship.
Regular performances are held at Kakumeikan Main Hall in Okayama Korakuen Garden. In 2026, they were announced as generally taking place on the second Sunday of each month.
Admission to the performance is free, but a separate admission fee is required for Korakuen Garden.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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