Kagura of prayer and dance, passed down through the night in Kumi
Shimagō Kumi Kagura
The 2026 edition of Shimagō Kumi has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/15 〜 2026/07/16Ended
- Season / frequency
- In even-numbered Gregorian calendar years: July 15; in odd-numbered years: July 16 / Every other year
- Location
- Isemyō Shrine
- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Okinoshima Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 min · flight time only)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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Shimagō Kumi Kagura is a kagura tradition passed down in Kumi, Okinoshima Town. It is performed for the annual festival at Isemyō Shrine, where miko-mai and Yagami, accompanied by flutes and drums, are presented in the at night.
About Shimagō Kumi Kagura
Shimagō Kumi Kagura is one of the Oki Kagura traditions, performed for the annual festival at Isemyō Shrine in Kumi, Okinoshima Town.
As a kagura performed for prayers, it has long been associated with wishes such as prayers for a good catch and rainmaking.
Its simple, unadorned dance movements and costumes are also distinctive, and the local preservation association is responsible for carrying on the tradition.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the kagura dance, which continues through the night after the shrine rites.
Various performances are offered, including miko-mai accompanied by flutes and drums, and Yagami, in which performers dressed in white draw swords and circle the stage.
One of the distinctive charms of this kagura is the chance to take in the dances and music passed down locally at your leisure in the shrine grounds at night.
Source: 月夜の下 伝統の久見神楽 隠岐の島 | 山陰中央新報デジタル
Kagura of prayer and dance, passed down through the night in Kumi
What to expect
The kagura begins after the shrine rites accompanying the annual festival at Isemyō Shrine.
Following tradition, the program begins with the ritual dance Kiraku, followed by performances such as miko-mai and Yagami.
Tradition has it that the kagura originally included entertaining performances as well and continued until around 5 a.m.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Isemyō Shrine / 735 Kumi, Okinoshima Town
- By car
It is about 40 minutes by car from Saigō Port.
Source: 隠岐の島町（島後）の年間イベントスケジュール | コラム | モデルコース・コラム | 隠岐の島旅【公式】
Address 735 Kumi, Okinoshima Town, Shimane Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Schedule (The listed dates have passed)
The 2026 event was scheduled for July 15.
Shimagō Kumi Kagura is dedicated as part of the on July 15 in even-numbered years and July 16 in odd-numbered years, and continues through the night after the shrine ritual.
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 Shimane Prefecture / Okinoshima Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
As the event takes place through the night after the shrine rites, visitors will be watching from nighttime into the early hours.
Please watch the dances and music quietly in the shrine grounds, and take care not to disrupt the shrine rites.
Nearby attractions
隠岐郷土館
島根県隠岐の島町にある博物館
Origins and History of Shimagō Kumi Kagura
Shimagō Kumi Kagura is said to have been passed down during the Meiji era by a family of from Yui in the former Tsuma Village, as one of the Ochi Kagura traditions.
Oki Kagura was once passed down primarily by families of Shinto priests, but today it is carried on by local preservation associations and others.
Shimagō Kumi Kagura was designated a Shimane Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1962 and selected in 1978 as an intangible folk cultural property requiring measures such as the creation of a record.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Official information
The Okinoshima Town official website’s “Prefectural Cultural Properties (Folk Cultural Properties)” page has information on the origins, performance date, venue, and preservation group for Shimagō Kumi Kagura.
Information about Shimagō Kumi Kagura is also listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.
Shimagō Kumi Kagura at a Glance
Shimagō Kumi Kagura is a traditional kagura performed for the annual festival at Isemyō Shrine in Kumi, Okinoshima Town.
The 2026 schedule listed it for July 15, with miko dances, Yagami, and other performances planned to continue through the night after the shrine ritual.
The local preservation association carries on dances said to have been passed down during the Meiji era.
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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