Takaharu no Kamimai

Takaharu no Kamimai, passed down in the Sano and Haraigawa districts of Takaharu Town, is a traditional performing art in which kagura featuring swords and is dedicated through the night on a dance stage marked by three tall pillars.

About Takaharu no Kamimai

Takaharu no Kamimai is a kagura tradition passed down in the Sano and Haraigawa districts of Takaharu Town, Miyazaki Prefecture. Locally, it is called “Kamimai” (pronounced “kanme”).

Connected with devotion to Mount Takachihomine and the Kirishima Mountains, Sano Kagura and Haraigawa Kagura have each been passed down in their respective districts.

Performances are dedicated on a special dance stage with tall pillars, including dances with swords or gohei and dances in which performers wear masks to portray deities.

Source: 国指定文化財等データベース / 高原の神舞 | 神話のふるさと特集 | 宮崎県公式観光サイト「みやざき観光ナビ」

Festival highlights

The highlight is the kagura, with more than 20 performances taking place on a dance stage set up with three tall pillars and .

In one striking, powerful move unlike those in other kagura traditions, performers shift their grip from the sword hilt to its tip and brandish it vigorously while holding the blade.

Dances involving different generations are also passed down, including Haraigawa’s “Juninin Tsurugi” and a performance in which children dance while gripping the tip of a sword held by an adult.

Source: 神話のふるさと宮崎神楽体験レポート～祓川神楽～ | 神話のふるさと特集 | 宮崎県公式観光サイト「みやざき観光ナビ」

A powerful all-night kagura preserving devotion to Mount Takachihomine

What to expect

A stage for the dances is set up with a Shinto altar, a torii gate, and shimenawa. The performances proceed to the sounds of a nail-fastened drum, shinobue flute, and gong.

Performers carry swords or gohei, and may dance either without masks or wearing masks to portray deities.

During each performance, the dancers pause and chant sacred songs. The dedication continues from night until the following morning.

How to take part

General visitors can attend and watch the kagura performances offered as a dedication.

Some performances allow audience members to enter the mikaya, but this is limited to specific performances.

Source: 高原の神舞 | 高原町観光協会

Location and access

Venue and address

Sano Kagura is held in front of the second torii gate at Sano Shrine, while Haraigawa Kagura is held at Haraigawa Kagura Hall.

Sano Shrine is located at 117 Kamumuta, Takaharu, Nishimorokata District, Miyazaki Prefecture.

Train and bus

Sano Shrine is about 8 minutes by car from JR Takaharu Station.

By car

Sano Shrine is about 10 minutes by car from Takaharu IC on the Miyazaki Expressway.

Parking

Sano Shrine has a free parking lot with space for about 120–130 cars.

Source: 狭野神社 | 観光スポット | 宮崎県公式観光サイト「みやざき観光ナビ」

Event venue 宮崎県高原町狭野神社第二鳥居

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

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Dates and season

Season

Every year in December.

Sano Kagura is held in the first week, and Haraigawa Kagura in the second week.

Frequency

Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

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 Miyazaki Prefecture / Takaharu Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

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Tips for your visit

Kamimai is a major annual event for the districts, and visitors should follow the preservation society’s instructions.

Permission from the preservation society is required for photography, especially when using a tripod.

As the event continues through the night, be sure to dress warmly at the outdoor venue in winter. Visitors may also be asked to offer shochu or a first-fruits offering as part of the local custom.

Nearby attractions

Sano Shrine, the venue for Sano Kagura, is one of the Kirishima Rokusha Gongen shrines, located in the southwestern part of Takaharu Town.

The feature an avenue of Sano cedars over 400 years old, designated a National Natural Monument.

Mount Takachihomine is described as a sacred mountain behind the Sano and Haraigawa districts, offering a clue to understanding the background of Kamimai.

Origins and History of Takaharu no Kamimai

Takaharu no Kamimai has been passed down against the background of devotion to the Kirishima Mountains and Mount Takachihomine.

According to the Takaharu Town Tourism Association, it was already being performed about 400 years ago; cultural property materials explain that it was performed in its present form as early as the beginning of the Edo period.

In Sano and Haraigawa, the timing shifted from the traditional festival date on the lunar calendar to the current December observance. The dances have been passed down even as their venues moved from the yards of private homes to shrines, community centers, and other locations.

Official information

Official information about Takaharu no Kamimai is available on the Takaharu Town Tourism Association’s information page.

Details of its cultural property designation and transmission are listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.

Information about Sano Shrine’s location, parking, and other facilities is available on the Miyazaki Prefecture official tourism website.