A traditional offering performance at Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine, brought to life by lions and hayashi
Lion dance offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- day 14 of lunar month 9–16
- Location
- Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine
- Area
- Kumamoto Prefecture・Amakusa City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 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
- Required number of participants
- Composition: male and female lions, each danced by 2 performers; 2 ball handlers; 2 players; 40 flute players
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
A traditional performance offered at Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine in Ushibuka Town, Amakusa City. The male and female lions, each danced by 2 performers, are joined by ball handlers, taiko, and flutes.
About Lion dance offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine
The offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine is a traditional performance offered at the shrine’s festival in Ushibuka Town, Amakusa City.
It features male and female lions, ball handlers, taiko, and flutes, and has been passed down as a complete offering performance that includes as well as the lion dance itself.
It is introduced as a local festival associated with the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the format in which the male and female lions each dance with 2 performers.
Records list 2 ball handlers, 2 taiko players, and 40 flute players alongside the lions, with a large hayashi ensemble supporting the offering.
A distinctive feature is the chance to appreciate the lion dance together with the musical arrangement of taiko and flutes.
A traditional offering performance at Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine, brought to life by lions and hayashi
What to expect
The performance is a lion dance offering at the festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine.
Both the male and female lions are danced by 2 performers, and records list 2 ball handlers, 2 taiko players, and 40 flute players.
The same source also mentions a hayashi song offered to the alongside the lions of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine, showing how music and offering performances are connected within the festival.
How to take part
必要人数：構成：雄獅子・雌獅子各2人立ち、玉取り2人、太鼓2人、笛40人
Location and access
- Venue and address
Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine
Event venue 熊本県天草市 牛深八幡宮
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
day 14 of lunar month 9–16
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 Kumamoto Prefecture / Amakusa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
天草キリシタン館
熊本県天草市にある資料館
天草市立御所浦恐竜の島博物館
熊本県天草市の離島の御所浦島にある、天草市立の自然史博物館
御所浦白亜紀資料館
熊本県天草市の御所浦島にある資料館
Origins and History of Lion dance offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine
The lion dance offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine is a traditional performance offered at the shrine’s festival.
Records state that it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Ushibuka City in Showa 55April 1.
No detailed account of its origins or how it has been passed down to the present day is provided, but it is recorded as a local festival performance that received cultural property designation.
Official information
The Kumamoto Prefectural Theater’s “Traditional Performing Arts Survey Project: Municipality-by-Municipality Database (Amakusa City)” records the public date, venue, composition, and cultural property designation of the lion dance offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine.
Lion dance offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine at a Glance
The lion dance offering at the autumn grand festival of Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine is a festival performance passed down at Ushibuka Hachiman Shrine in Ushibuka Town, Amakusa City.
The male and female lions both dance with 2 performers, joined by ball handlers, taiko, and flutes.
Records show that it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Ushibuka City in Showa 55April 1, and it has been passed down as a traditional performance offered at the local festival.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
