An all-night kagura festival carrying on the worship of the Ōmoto deity
Ōmoto Kagura
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Gotsu City, Kawamoto Town, Misato Town, Ōnan 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Ōmoto is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property passed down in villages in central Shimane Prefecture. The Ōmoto deity is welcomed, and ritual dances, divine plays, and spirit possession and oracles performed with a straw snake are offered.
About Ōmoto Kagura
Ōmoto Kagura is a form of kagura passed down across the Ōchi District in central Shimane Prefecture. It is a periodic festival in which the Ōmoto deity is welcomed into the village and dances are performed.
As a ritual object kagura based on the worship of the Ōmoto deity, it preserves ritual dances, dances with ritual objects, and dramatic divine plays.
It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979 and is a cultural heritage that conveys the region’s religious beliefs and performing arts.
Source: 大元神楽｜日本遺産ポータルサイト / 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
A highlight is the performance of ritual dances that retain ancient forms alongside story-based divine plays, as part of a continuous kagura program.
The repertoire includes pieces such as “Iwato,” “Yumi Hachiman,” and “Ebisu,” as well as spirit possession and oracles performed with a straw snake.
The dances are accompanied by large drums, flutes, and bronze clappers, and solemn scenes performed through the night are another distinctive feature.
An all-night kagura festival carrying on the worship of the Ōmoto deity
What to expect
At the festival, the village’s shrine hall or the tatami room of a private home is used as the ceremonial site, where the Ōmoto deity is invited and kagura is offered.
Those playing the roles of priests help one another with their respective kagura, forming groups of around seven to ten performers who take charge of the dances.
Local volunteers take on roles in the divine plays, with parts assigned and performed for each piece.
How to take part
Kagura dances and shinno performances are carried out by those taking the roles of shinshoku and by local volunteers at the event site.
Those who take the roles of shinshoku form groups across regional boundaries to help with one another’s kagura, while local volunteers take on roles in the shinno performances.
Please check the information for each location to find out whether general visitors may participate as performers.
Location and access
- Address
Gotsu City, Kawamoto Town, Misato Town, Ōnan Town
Host municipality 島根県江津市、川本町、美郷町、邑南町
This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.
Tips for your visit
Ōmoto Kagura is a traditional event held at local festival sites, such as the haiden of a ujigami shrine or the tatami rooms of private homes.
Because the venue and viewing arrangements vary by location, please check the information for that event before visiting and take care not to disrupt the proceedings at the festival site.
夜を徹して奉納される場合もあります。
Nearby attractions
The Ōmoto Kagura Denshokan in Ichiyama, Sakurae-cho, Gotsu City, introduces the history and traditions of Ōmoto Kagura.
Visitors can learn about kagura through videos and materials inside the facility. A restored dance hall, about eight tatami mats in size, is also on display.
The address is 481 Ichiyama, Sakurae-cho, Gotsu City. It is a 15-minute drive from Asahi IC on the Hamada Expressway. Opening hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free.
Source: 大元神楽伝承館 | しまね観光ナビ｜島根県公式観光情報サイト
Origins and History of Ōmoto Kagura
Ōmoto Kagura has been passed down as an ancient form of kagura performed to welcome the village’s Ōmoto deity.
In the past, a temporary shrine for the Ōmoto deity was set up on a stage three ken square, covered with new tatami mats. Today, the village shrine hall or the tatami room of a private home serves as the ceremonial site.
It is said to have been called “Ōmoto-mai” in the past. It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979 and recognized as a Japan Heritage component in 2019.
Official information
For a basic overview, see the “Ōmoto Kagura” entry in the National Cultural Properties Database, the component cultural properties introduction on the Japan Heritage portal, and Shimane Prefecture’s “Festivals and Ritual Events of Shimane.”
For dates and visitor information at each location, please check announcements from the local preservation association or municipal authorities.
Ōmoto Kagura at a Glance
Ōmoto Kagura is a form of kagura rooted in the worship of the Ōmoto deity and passed down in central Shimane Prefecture. It is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in which dances and divine plays are offered at periodic festivals.
The tradition includes ritual dances, story-based divine plays, spirit possession and oracles performed with a straw snake, and musical accompaniment on large drums and flutes.
Locations and dates vary by region, so if you plan to attend in 2026, please check information from the host location.
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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