24 kagura dances passed down at shrines in Hirado
Hirado Kagura
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- The main performance is dedicated every year on October 26. It is also performed at festivals at various shrines throughout the city. / Every year
- Location
- of Kameoka Shrine and other shrines in Hirado City
- Area
- Nagasaki Prefecture・Hirado City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 20 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Hirado is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property offered at festivals at shrines throughout the Hirado area. It consists of 24 dances, with different scales of kagura performed according to the ritual.
About Hirado Kagura
Hirado Kagura is a torimono kagura offered at festivals at shrines throughout the Hirado area of Nagasaki Prefecture.
It is performed in shrine worship halls or offering halls, and sometimes on temporary stages. The number of dances varies according to the ritual.
It is divided into 4 types—Shōkagura, Chūkagura, Daikagura, and Daidaikagura—and has been passed down by over generations.
This kagura, designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, is a defining part of Hirado’s regional culture.
Festival highlights
Highlights include a varied program of 24 dances and the distinct movements of each performance.
Among them, Nikken uses 3 real swords and is also called Sanbon-mai (“three-sword dance”); it is considered a challenging performance requiring skill, stamina, and concentration.
Some dances also bear names associated with myths and ritual, such as Shin-zumō, Sarutahiko, Hoko-mai, and Iwato-uta. The number of dances performed varies according to the scale of the kagura offering.
24 kagura dances passed down at shrines in Hirado
What to expect
Hirado Kagura is performed as an offering at shrine festivals, with the number of dances selected according to the scale of the event.
The full-scale Daidaikagura features all 24 dances, combining performances such as the opening dance, dances using sacred wands, dances with bows and swords, and Sarutahiko and Uzume-mai.
The Daidaikagura, which has the most dances, is also called Iwato Kagura. At Kameoka Shrine’s autumn festival, it takes 7–8 hours to complete the full program.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Performances are offered at the worship hall of Kameoka Shrine and other shrines in Hirado City.
- Train and bus
For directions, the nearest stop is said to be the Saikai Bus stop “Yūkōkan High School-mae,” a 15-minute walk away.
Source: 長崎県の文化財
Event venue 長崎県平戸市 亀岡神社拝殿
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
The main performance is dedicated every year on October 26, when the full Hirado Kagura is performed at Kameoka Shrine’s autumn .
Hirado Kagura is also performed at festivals held at various shrines throughout Hirado City.
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 Nagasaki Prefecture / Hirado City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
亀岡神社
長崎県平戸市にある神社
松浦史料博物館
長崎県平戸市にある博物館
鄭成功記念館
長崎県平戸市にある記念館
Origins and History of Hirado Kagura
Hirado Kagura is said to have begun when, during the Genki era, a Shinto priest from Iki visited the castle of the Matsuura clan in Hirado and performed kagura from Iki’s Okamado Festival.
Later, Shinto priests from the Hirado area joined in and shared their techniques. During the Shōhō era, Tachibana Sanki is said to have surveyed kagura across the region, revised and expanded it, and established the basis of the form practiced today.
In Showa 62January 8, it was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Official information
The Hirado City official website’s cultural properties page provides information on offering dates, locations, performances, and origins.
The Hirado Kagura Promotion Association is listed as the preservation organization, and the Cultural Heritage Section of the Cultural Exchange Division is listed as the contact point.
Hirado Kagura at a Glance
Hirado Kagura is a traditional form of kagura passed down through shrine festivals in the Hirado area, with a repertoire of 24 dances.
Offered in 4 different scales according to the ritual, it features distinctive performances such as Nikken, which uses 3 real swords.
主な奉納日は毎年10月26日です。
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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