Ōmoto dance

Festival highlights

Highlights include the six-beat dances passed down over generations and their unadorned style, without the embellishments seen at Kagura competitions.

Ōmoto Kagura has more than 40 pieces, including “Iwato,” “Goryūō,” and “Jinrin”; in some areas, divination is also performed using a straw snake.

It is distinguished by the solemn atmosphere of a religious ritual and a unique program of performances preserved by local people.

Source: 中野大元神楽神楽団 | しまね観光ナビ｜島根県公式観光情報サイト

The solemn Ōmoto Kagura of Ōnan, passed down at Kamo Shrine

What to expect

During the Ōmoto dance, Kagura dances are performed as an offering to the shrine.

Ōmoto Kagura includes torimono dances and shin nō, and has been passed down in two forms: dances performed by shrine priests and shin nō performed by local people.

In the Nakano district, it is also traditional for local people to set up tiered seating on three sides of the dance pavilion, with the whole community supporting the place of offering.

Location and access

Venue and address

Kamo Shrine, Nakano, Ōnan Town, Ōchi District.

Source: 中野大元神楽団 - 邑智郡大元神楽伝承保存会

Event venue 島根県邑南町 賀茂神社

This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.

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Dates and season

The Ōmoto Dance in the Nakano district is said to be held on the night of October 10 once every 4 years.

The Yogoro Dance is held on the night of October 8 every year and continues as a separate annual event from the Ōmoto Dance.

To avoid confusing the Ōmoto Dance and the Yogoro Dance, it’s best to check the year of the offering and the event information for the day before you visit.

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Nearby attractions

Nearby attractions include the Ōnan Town Local History Museum, Shitsu no Iwaya, Kōboku no Mori Park, Senjō Gorge, and the Ōnan no Sato roadside station.

Tourism guides introduce these as attractions near the Nakano Ōmoto Kagura troupe.

If visiting alongside the festival, check each facility’s opening days and hours in advance.

Origins and History of Ōmoto dance

Ōmoto Kagura has been passed down throughout Ōchi District in central Shimane Prefecture, and is said to have been known in earlier times as “Ōmoto dance.”

One theory holds that it was performed in its current form before the early modern period. It preserves ancient rituals involving spirit possession and divination, in which the Ōmoto deity was invited into the village as a deity of agriculture.

The Nakano Ōmoto Kagura troupe is said to have been established in the early Meiji period, and continues to offer performances at Kamo Shrine.

Source: 大元神楽｜日本遺産ポータルサイト

Official information

The Ōmoto Kagura Preservation Association’s page introducing the Nakano Ōmoto Kagura troupe provides its location, history, performances, and planned offerings.

The Nakano Ōmoto Kagura troupe’s contact information includes the troupe leader’s phone number.

Ōmoto dance at a Glance

The Ōmoto dance is a local ritual in which Ōmoto Kagura, passed down in Ōchi District, is offered at Kamo Shrine in the Nakano district.

It is known for its unadorned six-beat dances, diverse Kagura performances, and the preservation of ancient forms of spirit possession and divination.

It is said to take place in the Nakano district once every 4 years, on the night of October 10.