Omura's Kori Sando (Suko Odori, Okita Odori, and Kuromaru Odori)

Festival highlights

A highlight is that each of the three dances is performed with its own distinctive costumes, props, and formations.

In Suko Odori, the dancers perform around the mai-daiko; in Okita Odori, naginata and short swords form two circles and clash.

In Kuromaru Odori, large flower rings decorated with washi paper flowers on 81 bamboo poles and large flags move to the beat of drums, creating a vivid spectacle.

Omura's celebrations and elegant traditions carried on through three dances

What to expect

Each of the three dances has two parts: a procession to the dance courtyard, followed by dancing in the courtyard upon arrival.

Suko Odori features Kakiodori and Hayaodori, while Kuromaru Odori features Koodori and Shamisen Odori following Iriha.

Musicians use flutes, drums, gongs, voices, shamisen, and other instruments, while the dancers move through formations as they take their designated positions.

Location and access

Venue and address

These dances have been passed down in the districts of Suko, Okita, and Kuromaru, and the performance locations vary by event.

Train and bus

Take a rapid train from JR Nagasaki Station for about 50 minutes and get off at JR Omura Station.

By car

It takes about 30 minutes from Nagasaki Interchange to Omura Interchange.

Source: 大村市／大村市へのアクセス

Event venue 長崎県大村市 寿古

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

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Dates and season

Season

They are usually performed around November.

Kuromaru Odori is dedicated every year at the Hoyo Festival on November 28.

Frequency

They take turns performing at annual events and other occasions.

Accommodation and hotels PR

Origins and History of Omura's Kori Sando (Suko Odori, Okita Odori, and Kuromaru Odori)

The origins of the three dances are uncertain, but the Gosonki records that Suko Odori was taught by someone who came from Suko in Hizen Province in 1480, and that Okita Odori and Kuromaru Odori were taught by Hoyo, a ronin who came from the Chugoku region during the Bunmei era.

During the Edo period, the dances were performed at celebratory events hosted by the Omura domain. Even when Bon dances were prohibited in 1814, these dances were allowed to continue because of their long-standing tradition.

The composition and number of dancers recorded in early modern documents have been handed down to the present day.

Official information

The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties lists Omura's Kori Sando as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

The Suko Odori Preservation Society, the Okita Odori Preservation Society, and the Kuromaru Odori Preservation Society are listed as preservation groups.

In 2022, Okita Odori and Kuromaru Odori were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as part of Furyu-odori.

Omura's Kori Sando (Suko Odori, Okita Odori, and Kuromaru Odori) at a Glance

Omura's Kori Sando is a cultural property that preserves as a connected art form the furyu odori passed down in the three districts of Suko, Okita, and Kuromaru.

The dances progress from a procession to dancing in the courtyard, and each offers distinctive expressions, including mai-daiko, naginata and short swords, large flower rings, and large flags.