It must exemplify something original in the Japanese people's everyday life in terms of origin and content, and be typical.
It must exemplify the process of evolution of some technique.
It must exemplify some local characteristic.
Designated cultural properties
Manners and customs
Manufacture, livelihood
8 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Image
Spring Hoe Festival of Higoshi Shinmei Shrine
Spring hoe festival including theatrical performances of various stages of the farming process. Seen as a prayer for abundant crops, the festival's earliest record is from 1798.
—
Bonito Fishing Festival of Kōzushima
Using a crude model boat of aotake, within the shrine precincts, bonito fishermen are simulating all stages of their work from departure, over fishing to return to the port. This is seen as a prayer for a good catch.
—
Spiral Rice Planting of Sado
end of May
Seedlings are planted in a circular fashion by three or four workers while singing.
—
and December 5
Agricultural festival of rice farmers on the Noto Peninsula in which the deity of the rice field is invited to the house and entertained. The December event is to express gratitude for the harvest, while the event in February is meant to ensure an abundant harvest. The ritual has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
—
Mibu Rice Planting
first Sunday in June
Rice-planting ritual starting with a performance of hayashi musicians welcoming the kami of the fields and decorated cows being led into the field. A phalanx of planting girls then carries out the actual planting accompanied by ondo songs, large and small drums, gongs and flutes. The event has been inscribed on the UNESCORepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Farming Rituals of Aso
13th day of first month and 25th day of 9th month ; 16th day of first month and 23rd, 24th days of 9th month
A series of agricultural festivals associated with the four seasons and enacted as a prayer for abundant crops and as a thanks for the harvest, among these: rice field festival, making the field, fire swinging ritual, fūchinsai, nemurinagashi rite, hitaki fire rite, and thetanomi festival.
Ritual rice planting event accompanied by song and drums as a prayer for an abundant harvest.
—
Yoronjima Musa basjoo
—
Harvesting and processing of the Japanese fibre banana for the production of textiles by weaving on Yoronjima island.
—
Life rituals
6 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.
Name
Date
Description/Remarks
Location
Image
Izumiyama Mountain Worship
An event in which young children between the age of 7 and 9 from the village of Izumiyama climb Mt. Nakui to worship at mountain shrines.
—
Hata Oyamagake
15th and 16th day of 8th month
An event in which 7-year-old boys climb nearby Hanedayama to pray for their healthy growth.
—
Kohata Banner Festival
First Sunday in December
An event, first attended by males around the age of 18, in which a procession of parishioners carrying colorful banners climb Kohatayama to worship at Okitsushima and Hayama shrines.
Shooting of homemade rockets from a scaffold structure, which when fired are meant to resemble dragons ascending to the heavens. The even is performed as appreciation for bountiful harvest.
"Naked" festival of men struggling for rice cakes, sake and other auspicious objects. The event is seen as a prayer for safety and abundant crops but also constitutes rite of passage to adulthood.
—
Bull wrestling
Ancient bull fighting event and only of its kind on Honshu.
Tsuruga Nishimachi tug of war
Tug of war between two teams representing Daikoku and Ebisu. The year is said to bring a good harvest if Daikoku wins, and a good catch if Ebisu wins.
—
Tajima Kutani tug of war
Tug of war between an adult and children group using a rope made of Japanese mugwort and sweet flag. If the adult group wins the 7th and final pull, it is said to become a good harvest. This is one of the five seasonal festivals.
—
Inaba tug of war
Children tug of war with a rope made of sweet flag, Japanese mugwort and Japanese torreya. This is one of the five seasonal festivals.
—
Misasa tug of war
Tug of war between the western and eastern parts of the district using a more than, rope. A win of the east is said to be a good harvest, if the west wins business is going to prosper. This is one of the five seasonal festivals.
Namari Momote Festival
Archery festival with origins in the early 10th century held in the precincts of Sanboko Shrine, in order to pray for an abundant harvest, bountiful fishing and to keep evil away.
—
Yobuko tug of war
Tug of war between a "hill" and "beach" team using a long and wide rope. If the beach team wins it is said to be bountiful fishing in this year, if the hill team wins, the year is said to produce abundant crops.
—
Social life (knowledge of folk customs)
2 designations, all under criterion 1
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Ochakō of Jōshū Shirokubo
Tea guessing event, where local residents welcome the gods, drink tea together, read the tea and predict the bounty in their lives.
Omokō and Dōtoshiki of Ao
A ceremony held at the Yakushi Hall of Kichijō-ji involving the recitation of the Heart Sutra and the Dōtoshiki protocol permitting three-year-old children to the village.
Annual functions or events
36 designations, all under criterion 1
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Image
Yoshihama Suneka
A person called "Suneka", representing a kami and dressed in a strange mask and a straw raincoat, visits each house in a given district to punish lazy or crying children; related to the Namahage tradition of Akita Prefecture; handed down in Yoshihama district, Sanriku, Ōfunato, Iwate. Type: Visiting kami
—
Tsukihama Enzu-no-wari
–16
Bird chasing procession involving children; traditionally a festival to pray for abundant harvest and good health; handed down in Tsukihama district, Miyato, Higashimatsushima, Miyagi. Type: Harvest/fertility
—
Yonekawa Mizukaburi
Event to ward off fire; young men and men of a critical age dress in straw raincoats and headdresses their faces painted with soot; after a shrine visit they return to town and throw water on the houses; home owners try to extract from the participants' costumes straws which are then considered charms against fire. Type: Protection
—
"Little New Year" event celebrated by children involving the burning of a hut of Sae-no-kami and a bird chasing procession with singing.
Young men dressed in traditional straw garments and wearing large masks representing the Namahage deity visit houses of new community members urging them to work and study hard; after receiving sake and mochi they leave blessing the house. Type: Visiting kami
Events welcoming toshigami, deities of the year, and praying for an abundant harvest and health. The festival includes the decoration of large bamboo poles, the construction of snow huts, and a battle with bamboo poles.
"Koshōgatsu
, 3 and 6
A person called "Amahage", representing a kami dressed in a straw coat and covered with a red or blue ogre mask visits each family distributing mochi; also includes a tori-oi bird chasing event with drums and singing; the straw coats are burned together with kadomatsu and shimenawa in an event known as Honte-yaki. Type: Visiting kami
—
Sai-no-kami of Mishima
ca. January 15
Fire festival praying for abundant harvest, sound health and escape from evil; an artificial structure made of a sacred tree and new year's decoration is burned
—
Jagamaita of Mamada
Snake festival in which a long snake made of straw, fern and wisteria is paraded by children through the district. The event is a prayer for abundant harvest and good health.
Construction of 108 mounds and lighting of as many lights; said to originate in a ritual to console the spirits of Inomata Koheirokunoritsuna. Type: Bon Festival
Mito floating of sacred boats
Bon Festival event in which the spirits of the deceased are sent off by constructing a decorated straw ship and having children swim it out to the sea.
—
Ōiso Sagichō
Third Saturday of January
New Year fire festival in which nine large decorated temporary shelters in the form of bonfires on the beach are set on fire. Dango are grilled in the fire and the event also includes a tug-of war.
Ōmi tug-of-war with bamboo
New Year Event in which two groups of mostly men in kumadori make-up fight using two long bamboo poles. The fights are followed by the burning of New Year decorations, praying for good health, abundant crops and a good haul.
—
Muramachi New Year Deity Send Off
Sunday before January 15
New Year fire festival praying for health, an abundant harvest and ceremonial cleansing. Children go from house to house singing the Sai no kami song, carrying wooden male and female dollsand collecting New Year decorations that are later burned on a bonfire.
—
Noto Peninsula
January 2, January 14 and 20, February 3
Visiting kami event similar to Mensama and Namahage in which masked figures wearing straw raincoats enter the house unannounced to purify it.
—
Nozawa Onsen Dōsojin Fire Festival
New Year fire festival in which a large wooden shrine is endowed with a dōsojin and set on fire by an offensive team, while men of "unlucky age" sitting on to p of the shaden are trying to stop them. The event is seen as a celebration of birth of the first child, to dispel evil spirits and as a prayer for a happy marriage.
Toba Fire Festival
2nd Sunday in February
New Year event in which two giant torches made of Japanese pampas grass and known as suzumi are lit. Men compete to take out holy tress that have been placed in the suzumi and to offer them at a shrine. The outcome is used to predict the year's weather and harvest.
Shimakamogogō Bon Festival event
–15
—
Tōkōji Onie
Demon ritual dance of two ogres, a red and a blue one, carry torches and halberds perform a dance in the temple grounds as a prayer for abundant harvest and purification ritual. The event also includes a theatrical display of rice planting.
—
Otsuna of Etsutsumi and Ōnishi
A women's rope from Ichikishima Shrine, Ōnishi meats a male rope at Susanoo Shrine, Etsutsumi where the two ropes are joined, hung on a tree and ceremonies commence. The event also includesa mud wrestling competition and is seens a prayer for abundant harvest and child-giving.
—
Dadadō Onihashiri
New Year fire festival in which three ogres carrying giant lit torches run around the hall getting rid of evil and bringing good luck.
Tondō festival at Sakenotsu
Weekend closest to January 15
Japanese New Year event in which a large cone shaped structure is constructed on the beach out of straw and bamboo and later burnt as a prayer for health and a good catch. The event also includes a ritual purification of the houses performed by young boys.
—
Isodake Guro
–15
New Year event in which a diameter temporary house is built of bamboo to greet Toshitokujin the kami of the year. The event is seen as a prayer for health and a good catch and the temporary structure is eventually burnt together with the New Year's decorations.
—
Atsuki Shinmei Festival
New Year fire festival in which youth erect two tall shinmei, objects of worship decroated with gohei and daidai, on the beach. Various rituals and dances are performed at these shinmei, which are eventually burned. The event is seen as a prayer for a godo harvest and the protection from disaster and diseases.
—
Suōsō Hashiramatsu
, 19, 23
Construction and lighting of tall pillar torches. The event originates from a ritual to comfort the spirit and remove disaster when horses and cows were affected by a contagious disease.
—
Jifuku Toitoi
New Year event in which children visit houses, place a straw horse in a bowl in front of the entrance, call out toitoi and hide. The family of the house exchange the straw horse for a bag of mochi and sweets which is then picked up by the children. The event is seen as a prayer for in-home safety and disease-free life.
—
Oni-yo Fire Festival of Daizenji Tamatare Shrine
New Year fire festival in which a "devil fire" that has been guarded for seven days is transferred to six long torches which are carried around the shrine grounds by men in loinclothes. It is a ritual to drive away evil spirits.
Mishima Kasedori
2nd Saturday in February
Lunar New Year event and a form of "visiting gods" in which unmarried men dressed in straw raincoats and bamboo hats represent deities bringing blessings to each home.
Hetomato of Shimozakiyama
Third Sunday in January
New Year event praying for an abundant harvest, a good catch and disaster relief. It includes various rituals such as sumo, hanetsuki, tamaseseri, a tug of war and the carrying of a giant,, straw sandal.
—
Koshikijima Toshidon
Visiting deity event at New Year's Eve in which two to five men representing the deity toshidon dress in straw raincoats decorated with leaves and masks with long pointed noses and demonic horns. Visiting the houses they scold the children and preach good behaviour. At the end they place a large rice cake on the children's back who carry it in this way to their parents. The ritual has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
An event welcoming Inadama, the spirit of rice, and thanking for this year's good harvest and praying for next year's harvest. The ritual involves singing and dancing and the shochogama ceremony in which men and children sit on the roof of a temporary shed, singing songs, playing drums and eventually breaking the shed and dancing on its remains.
Three men dress in giant headdress masks and palm leaves representing the Boze deity who cleanses people of evil. Appearing during the Bon dance, the Boze chase onlookers with a phallic cane to which red mud is attached.
Mendon a deity thought to cleanse people of evil appears during the interfering with the dancers and doing other mischiefs. The god is represented by men in straw coats wearing large grotesque red and black masks.
First third of the 9th month, last day of the ox in 12th month
Men dress up as a masked grass clad supernatural being spreading sacred mud and cleansing the village of calamities.
Religious festivals and beliefs
70 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1. This includes all but one of the 33 festivals in the UNESCO Intangible cultural heritageYama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan.
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Image
Iwakiyama Jinja
End of the 7th month – 15th day of 8th month
Collective climbing of Mount Iwaki by local people praying for safety and in gratitude of the harvest.
Kagura are dances associated with Shinto shrines. There have been 38 designations, all under Criteria 1, unless otherwise indicated.
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Image
Matsumae Kagura
Various times
Originally performed at Matsumae Castle, chief residence of the Matsumae clan, the dance subsequently spread to other parts of Hokkaido where it picked up regional straits.
Theatrical yamabushikagura consisting of ritual dances, military dances of battles between humans and demons and a lion dance. This is preceded by a group of local youths moving from house to house carrying a lion's head representing gongen.
—
Unotori Dance
Various times, from to April
Theatrical yamabushi kagura performed as a travelling tour through various villages and towns along the Sanriku Coast, from Kuji in the north to Kamaishi in the south. The dance has been designated under criteria 2, 3.
—
Kuromori Kagura
Third Sunday in July
Theatrical yamabushi kagura centered around gongen lion dances and also including ritual and masked dances. The dances are accompanied by small hourglass-shaped drums, flutes and bronze cymbals and distinct bird-style hats are used in some of them.
—
Hayachine Kagura
, August 1; also on February 2, latter part of April, middle of September, third Sunday in December ; January 3, December 17
A variety of masked dance including ritual, theatrical and wild pieces, comic dialogue and at the end a lion dance characteristic of the yamabushi tradition of northeast Japan. The Hayachine Kagura is represented by two kagura groups, Ōtsuganai and Take, with more or less identical performances. The one notable difference is that the masked used for the mountain kami are referred to as a in Ōtsuganai and as un in the Take tradition, forming the a-un syllables that feature in various Buddhist and Shinto contexts.
—
Ogatsu hōin Kagura
18th day of the second month ; 15th–16th day of the third month ; 19th day of the third month ; 8th day of the fourth month, once every three or four years ; 29th day of the fourth month, once every three or four years
Theatrical yamabushi kagura including the Amano-Iwato story which is characteristic of kagura of western Japan. It is accompanied by two large ōdaiko drums and is first mentioned in a document from 1739.
—
Nekko Bangaku
, second Sunday in September
A form of yamabushi kagura performed as part of the Bon festival in August and as part of Yama Shrine's festival in September. Locally it is referred to as bushi mai, ara mai or shishi mai and is accompanied by large hourglass-type drum, flute and cymbals.
—
Horōsan no Shimotsuki Kagura
, 8
A form of yudate kagura including 33 rituals performed over one night including a kagura dance in ancient manner. It is seen as a prayer for abundant crops and thanks for the harvest.
Various times of the year, at the start of the year in January, July–September, November, December
Intense lion dance performed by two people, one carrying a lion head the other under a sheet. Besides the lion dance there are other ceremonial and ritual dances, samurai dances and women dances. The designation has been designated under criteria 2, 3.
A type of yamabushi kagura that belongs to the bangaku kagura tradition of Aomori, Iwate, Akita and Yamagata Prefecture and consists of a series of masked dramas and ritual dances.
Theatrical mime performed by shrines around Tokyo consisting of four groups: Wakayama shachū, Mamiya shachū, Matsumoto shachū, Yamamoto shachū. The tradition is derived from Washi no Miya Kagura of Saitama and was introduced during the Enpō era. It received a revamping during the Meiji period resulting in a mix of classical kagura relating ancient myths, modern kagura portraying medieval stories, otogi kagura of modern legends, nō and kyōgen kagura.
—
Chigo no Mai of Kawaguchi
and July 28
Dance of about 10 young girls accompanied by drums, hourglass-shaped drums, and flutes considered as a type of daidai kagura. The dance has been designated under criteria 2, 3.
—
Tōyama Shimotsuki Matsuri
–23
A form of yudate kagura consisting of various dances and dramas.
A tradition of predominantly lion dances with some theatrical pieces and acrobatics added. They are used as purification ritual and to pacify spirits.
Okashira Shinji
February
Lion dance of a male and female lion by two men bearing torches, originally performed as purification ritual to cure the villagers of disease.
—
Ama Fūryū Odori and Kōdori dances
Sunday nearest to September 15
Two types of dances: odori danced in two rows employing fans to the accompaniment of song, hyoshigi, and shimedaiko, with lyrics originating in the Muromachi and early Edo period; kōdori danced in a single row by about 8 dancers with lyrics after the Genroku era and with a lighter tone. Originally a prayer for rain, the dances are now performed as part of the shrine's autumn festival. The dance has been designated under criteria 2, 3.
—
Sada Jinja
–25
Sacred noh with dramatic pieces on the first day preceded by unmasked kagura known as shichi za. The theatrical pieces portray myths from the Kojiki and Nihon shoki as well as local stories from Izumo Province.
—
Ōmoto Kagura
November, once every four to seven years
Theatrical kagura of among others myths from the Kojiki and Nihon shoki. The climax is a spirit possession ritual in which a person in trance relates the words of the deity, specifically the nature of future crops and the future safety of the village. Ōmoto is a local deity with links to Kōjin. The oldest record of this kagura dates to 1615.
—
Ōdochi Kagura
Saturday and Sunday nearest to November 24–25
Part of the Izumo kagura tradition, it consists of ritual dances and 12 dramatic pieces with the earliest records dating to 1754. Ōdaiko and kodaiko drums are used with the drumming of the latter thought to have been influenced by noh via Sada Shrine.
—
Bitchu Kagura
Various times throughout the year
Predominantly theatrical kagura including sword dances that are possibly an influence by shugendō.
—
Hiba Kōjin Kagura
Third Saturday in November
Theatrical kagura similar to Ōmoto Kagura performed for the Kōjin deity. Hiba Kōjin Kagura is noted for the dance of the deity Sarudahiko depicted through a grotesque long-nose mask and acrobatic movements. Rarely spirit possessions take place.
—
Sacred dance of Yukaba Iwakuni
Second Saturday in October
This kanmai consists of unmasked dances and theatrical pieces with the highlight a solo acrobatics on the top of an almost tall pine column and on a rope running from the top of the column to the roof of the place of kagura performances.
—
Mitsukuri Kagura
21st–23rd day of the eleventh month, once every seven years
23 pieces of theatrical and ritual dances accompanied by ōdaiko and flute with the highlight being the sanpō kōjin no mai when a dancer climbs up a cloth rope attached to the ceiling. The oldest record of Mitsukuri Kagura in its present form is from 1764.
—
Iyo Kagura
March, April
Mix of ritual unmasked dances and theatrical pieces seen as purification ritual to drive away evil spirits and as thanksgiving for the harvest.
—
Tosa Kagura
Theatrical kagura consisting of unmasked dances and masked drama including the Amano-Iwato story, in which the sun goddess Amaterasu was drawn out of her place of hiding, and the dispute between the deities of the four seasons.
—
Buzen Province
Early September to May
Ritualistic purification kagura and pieces related to the myths of Izumo. While most pieces are in the Izumo style, the highlight is an Ise-style yudate kagura''.
—
Iki Kagura
–14
Theatrical kagura with a history of at least 600 years, preceded and interspersed by unmasked dances.
—
Hirado Kagura
Ritual dances and theatrical kagura influenced by kagura from the west of Japan and created during the Genroku era by a vassal of daimyō Tenshōkō Shigenobu.
—
Gotō Kagura
Various times
Rural kagura performed on a narrow space at various shrine festivals on the islands and accompanied by drums, flutes and occasionally bells. The earliest records of a naginata sword dance go back to the 17th century.
—
Kuma Kagura
About two month starting on
Unmasked dances with performers carrying bells, swords and other implements, performed at various shrines in Hitoyoshi and in Kuma District starting at Aoi Aso Shrine. The dance has been designated under criteria 2, 3.
Kumamoto Prefecture
—
Ondake Kagura<
Bungo-ōno, Ōita
Takaharu Kanme
First weekend in December, second weekend in December
Kagura tradition handed down in two districts, Sano and Haraigawa, that are situated to the east of Mount Takachiho, which has been a center of local worship, resulting in the development of ritual kagura dances. Unmasked and masked dances are performed on a stage surrounded by three torii and next to three tall pillars. The dance has been designated under criteria 2, 3.
—
Takachiho Night Kagura
November to mid-January
A theatrical form of kagura taking place at the beginning of the year at specially prepared people's homes. The most significant piece performed in this context is the Amano-Iwato story, in which the sun goddess Amaterasu was drawn out of her place of hiding.
—
Shiiba Kagura
Shiiba, Miyazaki
Mera Kagura
–15
Theatrical kagura starting at night and consisting of 33 ritual dances and masked dramas.
Dengaku are musical presentations/dances related to rice planting. There have been 25 designations, all under Criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Image
Hachinohe Emburi
–19
Ritual rice planting dance as a prayer for abundant crops. Participants clutching an emburi and wearing large golden colored horse-shaped eboshi hats dance through the streets of the city.
Yamaya Taue Odori
15th day of the first month
Indoor theatrical presentation of farming as a prayer for abundant crops. Many of the pieces performed are comical in nature.
—
Akiu Taue Odori
–29 Ōtaki Fudōdō, Baba; 15th day of fourth month Yakushidō, Yumoto; August 14–16 Nagabukuro shinmeisha shrine
Performances of a series of ta asobi displaying a variety of farming activities, the dances of young girls with decorated hats, and small boys shaking suzu bells. These events are seen as prayer for abundant crops and dedication to the kami of rice fields.
—
Gohōden Chigo Dengaku and Customs
and August 1
Combination of children dengaku and furyū as part of the shrine's Kumano festival.
Two distinct traditions: in the shichifukujin the seven lucky gods' appearance is followed by a comic duo imitating various farming activities and after this the ritual rice planting ensues. In it women wearing decorated hats imitate the stages of farming and visit houses in the village. The event is seen as a prayer for abundant crops and the raising of silkworms.
—
Tsutsukowake Shrine Otaue
6th day of the first month
Dramatic representation of various stages of rice planting.
—
Itabashi Taasobi
, February 13
Theatrical enactments of the rice planting process as a prayer for abundant crops.
—
Mizuumi Dengaku and Nōmai
Dengaku with binzasara rattle accompaniment followed by noh dance with typical drum assemblage.
Rituals of the Mutsuki
, every four years
Various entertainments such as lion dances, dengaku by young children, and imitations of agricultural activities. The event is seen as prayer for peace and abundant harvest.
—
Gero Ta-no-Kami Festival
A lion dance followed by four dancers wearing hats decorated with red, yellow and white paper performing a flower umbrella dance. At the end there series of performances imitating the stages of rice farming.
—
Nishiure Dengaku
18th–19th day of the second month
Dengaku and other rice field plays followed by a number of masked dramas known as hane nō that retain contents from urban noh.
—
Fujimori Taasobi
Dramatic imitation of various stages of rice planting given by unmarried youths, with the highlight being the monkey dengaku.
—
Hirugaya Taasobi
As a prayer for abundant harvest, prosperity of the children, imitate the work done in rice cultivation in front of a large bonfire. The event is not accompanied by music, only dance and speech is used. This designation has been selected under criteria 2, 3.
—
Mikawa Dengaku
, February 11
Theatrical farming dances with elements of dengaku, bugaku and kagura.
—
Isobe sacred field dance
Ritual rice planting accompanied by songs and drumming which is seen as a praise of the field kami. The highlight of the festival is the odorikomi gyōji, the ritual addition of the dances. This is one of the three major rice planting festivals.
Tawara Onda
Theatrical representation of rice planting by two comic characters as a prayer for abundant crops. Their performance is accompanied by four girls dressed as rice planters and by a boy dressed as a cow.
—
Sumiyoshi Rice planting
Ritual rice planting accompanied by dances and processions from heavily made-up girls that take place on a raised platform amidst the rice field that is connected by a wooden bridge. One of the three major rice planting festivals.
Hanazono field dance
8th day of the first month
Theatrical dances and kyōgen display of farming accompanied by drum and flute and given as dedication to the kami and as prayer for an abundant harvest.
—
Suginohara field dance
Twenty theatrical dance pieces depicting the various stages of farming and a group dance of men in loin clothes accompanied by song and drums.
—
Nachi Dengaku
Dengakur with hinzasara accompaniment performed as part of the shrine's Nachi no Hi Fire Festival, or grand festival.
—
Oki Dengaku and Niwa no Mai
in odd-numbered years
Dengaku tradition and niwa no mai dance, the latter consisting of kami no sumō and a lion dance.
—
Aki Hayashida
last Sunday in May
Taue ritual rice planting accompanied by drum and flute in which songs are sung by the planting girls in a call-and-response format.
—
Shiohara Daisen Puja
every fourth year
Parade of hayashi musicians and planting girls. This is followed by the actual rice planting ritual in the fields accompanied by drummers and song and initiated by a masked comic character.
—
Kiragawa Onta Festival
Various entertainments as a prayer for abundant harvests, including stage performances of rice planting and harvesting, and an old style noh, with the climax the sake shibori in which a divine child represented by a straw doll is taken by a woman who cannot bear children. This has led to the alternative name of the festival Ko uke.
—
Shirahige Shrine Dengaku
–19
Children dengaku accompanied by flutes with performers wearing characteristic dresses: four boys with large-brimmed straw-hats from which long obi are hanging down; two boys with a drum hanging in front of them; a boy with a staff and a fan and another with a golden eboshi hat carrying a drum and a fan.
—
Fūryū
Fūryū Odori are traditional folk dances often consisting of large processions of participants typically wearing colorful costumes and accompanied by props. Another form represented below is Nenbutsu Odori and the syncretic Nenbutsu Fūryū. In these dances, dancing is accompanied by Buddhist chanting and hymns. The most common surviving example of these dances is the Bon Odori. There have been 41 designations, all designated under Criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated.
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Image
Nagai Great Nenbutsu Sword Dance
Highly decorated sword dances with dancers wearing large-brimmed hats decorated with flowers.
—
Devil's Sword Dance
Sword dance originating in nenbutsu kenbai of Yamagata Prefecture where it was used to drive away evil spirits. The dances, accompanied by drums, cymbals and flutes are performed by eight men or women wearing demon masks topped by horsehair. The masks in red, white, blue, and black represent the four seasons and four directions from where spirits are driven away and are also thought to represent an alternative form of the Buddha.
Nishimonai Bon Festival#Bon Odori
–18
One of the three main bon odori in Akita Prefecture, performed by women wearing zukin hats that virtually conceal their faces. The dance and handwaving is accompanied by hayashi musicians located on a high roofed platform behind the dancers. The dance is seen as a prayer for a fruitful year and as an obon service.
—
Kemanai Bon Festival#Bon Odori
–23
One of the three main bon odori in Akita Prefecture with participants dancing around bonfires and women dancers wearing scarves that conceal the lower part of their face.
Group dance of men in female costumes with flower decorated headwear.
—
Niijima Great Dance
–15
Bon odori dances distinguished by participants wearing red hats on the first and purple hats on the second day.
—
Chakkirako
Miura, Kanagawa
Yamakita Omine-iri
The term Omine-iri refers to practitioners of Shugendō setting off on pilgrimages. The Yamakita area was a center of such practitioners in the 19th Century.
Yamakita, Kanagawa
Ayako Dance
Second Sunday in September
Female group dances interspersed with kyōgen performances.
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Dai no Saka
–16
A gentle somewhat informal bon odori dance preserving an older style of nenbutsu dance and songs. Participants dance around a central tall yagura in which musicians play flutes, drums and sing.
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Mushōno Great Nenbutsu
16th day of the first month, August 16
Several dances performed in a small room decorated with long strips of ornamental white paper and shimenawa including the chanting of Buddhist texts and nenbutsu to the accompaniment of large barrel-shaped drums and a purification dance with long halberds.
Niino Bon Festival#Bon Odori
–16, 24
Bon odori dance without instrumental accompaniment, where dancers move around a yagura on which five or six singers sit.
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Atobe Dancing Nenbutsu
First Sunday in April
Dance in which a small group of women circle two raised drums, singing the nenbutsu and striking small bells.
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Wagō Nenbutsu Odori
–16
Dance accompanied by drums in with the participants wear hats decorated with white paper strips. On July 14, 15 it is performed as a Buddhist prayer and has been designated under criteria 2 and 3.
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Gujō Odori
July to September
One of the three great bon odori of Japan, Gujō odori is characterised by circular movements of the dancers around a small temporary building in which the musicians are located.
Tokuyama Bon Festival#Bon Odori
Bon odori consisting of three pieces: shikan mai performed by farmers wearing deer masks to drive away evil spirits and pray for an abundant harvest; hiyaidance by young girls holding fans and decorated staffs; and a short old style of kyōgen
Utōgi Bon Festival#Bon Odori
–15
Dances of men and women groups around a central figure supporting a decorated tall lantern. The dances are accompanied by drum, paper-strip idiophones and song only.
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Night Nenbutsu and Bon Festival#Bon Odori
Religious ritual procession with the singing of Buddhist texts and chants to the Shinto kami.
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Ritual dance of Katte Shrine
Second Sunday in October
A drum dance of 20 people also known as Kanko dance performed as part of the shrine's autumn festival. Some dancers carry tree-like structures decorated with paper flowers on their back.
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Ōmi Konan Sanyare Dance
and 5
Traditional dance performed by boys and youths in Shinto shrines and seven locations. The dancers carry instruments such as drums, flutes, small gongs, kakko, kotsuzumi and sasara.
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Ōmi Kenketo Festival Naginata Dance
to early May
Religious festival including a boys' dance with naginata longswords and the jumping over poles.
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Yasuraibana
2nd Sunday in April, May 15
Ritual dance at four shrines with dancers representing demons by wearing red or black long-haired wigs are processing through the streetsmeant accompanied by drums and bells. People standing under a large red umbrella, which is carried in this procession, are said to be protected against illnesses. The dance is also seen as a prayer for abundant crops.
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Kuta Hanagasa Dance
, August 24
Dance performed as a prayer for abundant crops and as an expression of thanks for the ripening of the crops. The main feature is a decorated garden lantern, known as hanagasa.
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Kyoto Rokusai Nenbutsu
, 14, 15, 23, 29, 30
A variety of entertainments, from nenbutsu odori to later acrobatic, kabuki like theatre, lion dances and drum performances. Rokusai refers to the six designated days of the month which were traditionally used for nenbutsu dances and for proselytizing the people. Dancers carry small double-faced barrel drums.
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Inaba and Tajima Qilin
Various dates
A form of lion dance with slow elegant movements, where the lion is composed of two people one of them wearing a head mask of a kirin. It has been designated under criteria 2 and 3.
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Totsukawa Great Dance
–15
Three bon odori dances: Ohara ō-odori, Musashi ō-odori and Nishikawa ō-odori, with the main event being the final dance where men with drums, women with fans and a third group with lanterns attached to bamboo poles participate.
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Heron dance of Tsuwano Yasaka Shrine
, 24, 27
Two men dressed as herons dance accompanied by song and drums through the streets of Tsuwano. This sagi dance originates from Kyoto, where its tradition has been lost since.
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Ōmiya Dance
August 13–19
Informal bon odori in shrines and temples in northern Okayama Prefecture with the main event at Fukuda Shrine on August 15. The highlight is a dance called tenko where instead of the usual yukata, the participants wearing various disguises.
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Shiraishi Dance
–15
Old form of bon odori or nenbutsu odori accompanied by kudoki
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Nishiiya God Dance
25th day of the sixth month
Literally the age of the gods dance, it is a group dance accompanied by large drums and seen as a prayer for abundant harvests and the absence of diseases or natural disasters. It is also performed as a prayer for rain, with the sound of the drums resembling thunder, and serves as entertainment for the villagers. This performance is preceded by lion dances and the appearance of a tengu demon.
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Ayako Dance
Sunday between end of August and beginning of September
A rain dance performed by two groups of six men dressed in female costumes.
Takimiya Nenbutsu Dance
Thought to originate from an expression of thanks to Sugawara no Michizane, who in 888 is said to have prayed for seven days and nights for rain, there are two performances: at Taki no Miya and at Taki no Miya Tenman-gū. Dancers wear large round hats decorated with strips of paper, wear fans and intone the nenbutsu phrase accompanied by drums and bells.
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Hakata Matsubayashi
and 4
Parade centered around three of the Seven Gods of Fortune: Ebisu, Daikokuten and Fukurokuju who are represented by separate groups of people. The groups move from door to door and receive gifts in exchange for a recitation of benevolence. The parade is part of the Hakata Dontaku festival.
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Kannōgaku
every other year, May 1
Drum dance of Ōtomi Shrine praying for a good harvest.
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Takeo Araodori
Literally the Takeo Wild dance, originates from the 1530 victory celebration of the Lord of Takeo over Arima, lord of Shimahara. The one in Nakano is characterised by elegant waving of the hands, while those in Kōze and Utode are more rough and military-like in their movements.
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Ōmura Three Dances
At the Ōmura autumn festival
Three fūryū dance entertainments transmitted in Suko, Okita and Kuromaru district of Ōmura city. They originate from a celebration of Lord Sumikore Ōmura regaining control of the land in 1480 after losing the battle of Nakataka in 1474 to Arima. The dances have been designated under criteria 2, 3.
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Hirado Jangara
–18
Variously described as a type of nenbutsu odori or taiko odori, the dance is a prayer for abundant harvests and to console the spirits of the deceased. The dances is characteristic for its use of various types of ornamental headwear topped with flowers and colored paper decorations. Flutes, bells and small barrel-shaped drums carried by the performers are used as accompaniment. The name jangara is an onomatopoeic representation of the sounds of the bells and drums.
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Yoshihirogaku
fourth Sunday in July
Male group drum dance with participants wearing straw skirts and various types of headwear. They are seen as a prayer for the ripening of the harvest, driving away insects and for general well-being.
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Gokase Araodori
, September 30
Dance of around sixty men impersonating various roles such as warriors and demons.
Drum dances performed by around 20 people. In addition, large papier-mâché animals are paraded and used in mock hunts that are seen as prayer for abundant harvest and thanks to the gods. The dance originates in a celebration for the home-coming of Shimazu Yoshihiro from the Korean peninsula.
Storytelling
5 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.
Name
Remarks
Location
Image
Echizen Manzai
A type of manzai performed by two people: a tayū who dances, waves a fan, and speaks words of felications; and a saizō who accompanies no a drum.
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Mikawa Manzai<
A type of manzai traditionally performed as a comic and narritave dialogue between two people, known as tayū and saizō. The tayū dances wearing an eboshi hat and carrying a fan, while the saizō wears a black zukin hat and plays kotsuzumi drums.
A type of manzai claimed to have originated in Chōbo-ji temple in Owari, during the Shōō era from a comical play contrived by the monk Mujū Kokushi to make the teachings of the Lotus Sutra understandable for villagers.
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Daimokutate
Originally a rite of passage to adulthood performed by 17 year old youths, the Daimokutate is a semi-dramatic entertainment performed annually on October 12. The participants dressed in samurai clothes with eboshi hats narrate tales of the conflict between the Heike and Genji. Daimokutate has been inscibed by UNESCO as Intangible cultural heritage.
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Kōwakamai
Dance narrative of military tales performed by three dancers and a backstage solo drummer, performed on January 20 at Õe Tenman Shrine.
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Ennen and Okonai
Ennen are Buddhist temple entertainments performed at the end of Buddhist services and believed to extend the listeners' lifespans.Okonai are Buddhist New Year celebrations in which the evils of the past year are driven away. There have been 7 designations, all under Criteria 1.
Name
Date
Remarks
Location
Image
Mōtsūji Ennen
, May 3, November 3
Masked dances with elements of noh and bugaku occasionally to the accompaniment of song, performed after Buddhist rituals as part of the Madarashin Festival.
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Obasama Ennen
First Sunday in April
Series of masked and unmasked dramas accompanied by flutes and drums, including dengaku dance. They are seen a prayer for abundant crops.
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Kotaki Choukrairo Dance
Second Saturday in June
A type of ennen elaborate dance performed by young boys wearing highly decorated broad-brimmed straw hats. It derives from Shugendō and is seen as a form of worship of Zaō Gongen.
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Nechiyamadera Ennen
, September 1
Masked dramas and dances such as lion dances, kagura, manzai and — the highlight of the performances — oteteko mai, performed by a group of young girls whose heads are decorated with flowers. They are seen as prayer for abundant harvest.
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Nagataki Ennen
Dances and dramas from the Kamakura and Muromachi Period typically consisting of unmasked dances of two men accompanied by hayashi music.
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Tōtōmi Hiyondori and Okunai
, January 4
Fire dance, where a group of youths, after purifying themselves in the river, is trying to prevent another group carrying fire torches from entering the temple building. Eventually the toches are presented as offerings, followed by more dancing, singing and a taasobi event.
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Oki Kokubunji Lotus Dance
Rural bugaku performance with masks and costumes suggesting a Heian period origin.
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Entertainment from abroad and performance arts
37 designations. All were designated under criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated.
Rural Kabuki from the early Edo period that originated from travelling Kabuki troupes. During the prohibition of amateur kabuki performances in the Edo to Taishō period, performances were held in shrines and temples of Ōshika as a tribute to the gods.
Nine sacred masked and unmasked dances as a prayer for happiness in the New Year. The Dainichidō Bugaku tradition has an early eighth century Nara period origin, but has considerably evolved since then, picking up local features. The dances have been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Kurokawa Noh
February 1–2, March 23, May 3, November 11
Ancient form of ritual noh with a history of more than 500 years performed by local people. It is particularly valuable as it preserves elements of noh drama that have disappeared in its urban counterparts.
Hayashi Family Bugaku
and September 14–15
Rural bugaku tradition from the 9th century originating from Shitennō-ji and handed down in the Hayashi family of shinto priests of Yachi Hachimangū. Performed at the autumn festival of Yachi Hachimangū and the spring festival of Jion-ji.
Rope fire
23rd day of the 7th month and August 24
Puppet play of dolls attached to ropes that are above ground. Tsunabi fireworks are attached to the puppets which are then shot along the ropes.
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Lantern dolls of Annaka Nakajuku
not fixed
A puppetry tradition using string-operated dolls with lanterns inserted into their papier-mâché bodies giving a translucent effect to the dolls' faces.
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Kiraigō
Buddhist drama or masked kyōgen performed as part of o-bon and depicting a bodhisattva saving a group of people from falling into hell. The play was devised in the Kamakura period by the monk Sekioku to teach the local people the local people the nature of cause-and-effect and the virtues of the Buddha.
various times, typically around May, June and July
Three puppet traditions: noruma ningyō, where simple dolls enact humorous dramas incorporating improvised texts between the puppeteers; bunya and sekkyō ningyō with spoken narrative accompanied by shamisen play.
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Itoigawa Noh Bugaku
April 10–11, April 24
Two traditions of predominantly children bugaku performed by boys with heavy white make-up and small crown-like hats adorned with flower. Occasionally masks are used.
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Yahiko Shrine Lantern Carrying and Bugaku
, also on April 18, and in January/February
Parade of lanterns and mikoshi to the shrine where kami uta are intoned. Performance of bugaku dances with a connection to kagura.
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Etchū Province
Third Sunday in April, August 25, September 4
Three traditions of children bugaku performed by boys aged 10 to 14 accompanied by hayashi music of ōdaiko and flutes.
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Oguchi Dekumawashi
mid-February
One of five surviving bunya-ningyō traditions. Here a single person operates the puppets.
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Itozaki Buddha Dance
, every other year
Buddhist dance of 10 dancers wearing golden masks representing the Buddha and two people wearing white masks of children to the accompaniment of drums, bells and song. The performance is seen as a prayer for abundant harvest and for the spirits of the deceased.
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Tenzushi Mai Dance
Sunday nearest April 10
Parade and puppet performance of dengaku and dramatic pieces using almost life-size karakuri dolls on poles.
Makuwa Bunraku
Ningyō Jōruri puppetry from the Genroku era dedicated to Fukuda Minamoto Shichirō who brought irrigation to Makuwa.
Ritual performance of noh and kyōgen by members of 16 households as prayer for abundant crops and safety at home. The performances represent elements of the Kanze school of noh and of the Izumi school of kyōgen but also older dramatic elements predating these schools.
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Tōtōmi Mori Bugaku
First Saturday in April, Saturday, Sunday in mid-April, Saturday, Sunday in mid-July
Three traditions of bugaku dance with a history going back to the early 8th century. The dances as a whole are seen as a prayer for abundant harvest and to drive away diseases; at Oguni Shrine also as a prayer for peace and prosperity of the ujiko. In all three traditions, lion dances and other entertainments are included beyond the bugaku elements.
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Chiryū Float Festival Bunraku and Karakuri puppet
May 2–3
Performance of bunraku on a small stage in front and of karakuri puppets on the top-tier of a festival float. This is the only performance of ningyō jōruri on a dashi float in Japan.
Anori Ningyō Shibai
–16
A 400 year old puppetry tradition that originated as part of the Anori Shrine's festival.
Lanterns of Saeki village
Joint festival of four shrines as part of the o-bon celebrations praying for abundant crops. Five large straw torches and mikoshi are paraded through town, with the highlight being a clash between the mikoshi and large drums. Parallel to these events are ningyō jōruri puppetry performances
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Saga Dainenbutsu Kyōgen
, the 1st Sunday, 2nd Saturday and Sunday in April
A pantomime form of kyōgen realized through the actions and costumes of the actors. This tradition dates to the Kamakura Period and was devised by the monk Engaku Shōnin who used such dramas to proselytize and in teaching of Buddhist concepts.
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Matsunoo-dera Buddha Dance
Buddhist dance of six dancers wearing one of three types of golden masks respectively representing Dainichi Nyorai, Shaka Nyorai and Amida Nyorai. The dances are accompanied by the gagaku piece Etenraku.
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Mibu Kyōgen
April 21–27
A pantomime form of kyōgen, also known as Mibu Nenbutsu Kyōgen, originally devised by the Kamakura Period monk Engaku Shōnin in order to convey Buddhist teachings, the plays have over the years included other narratives as well. Actors are always masked and accompanied by hayashi music.
Shōryōe Bugaku
Bugaku dance performance as part of a commemorative Buddhist service for Prince Shōtoku, the founder of the temple.
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Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine Okina Dance
An okina dance performance with senzai, okina, sanbasō and chichi no jō thought to reach back to the Muromachi Period.
Awaji
Awa Bunraku
Various times and locations
A bunraku tradition influenced by that of nearby Awaji Island from where the supporting Hachisuka clan summoned puppet groups. The oldest record of this tradition dates to 1887.
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Lantern Dolls of Yame Fukushima
–24
String-and-pole-manipulated karakuri puppet tradition where the dolls are operated by six men from beside or beneath a temporary yatai stage. The event goes back to 1744 when lanterns were offered to the shrine.
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Hachiman Kohyō Shrine Kugutsushi Dance and Sumo
August 12–14, every four years
A pre-bunraku tradition of puppetry known as kugutsushi or kairaishi in which a dance piece is followed by a sumō bout between puppets.
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Matsubayashi of Kikuchi
Rural noh-like performances of matsubayashi nō, kyōgen and shimai accompanied by ōtsuzumi, kotsuzumi, taiko and yōkyoku on a nō stage from 1796. The origins of this entertainment date to the 14th century, when Kikuchi Takemitsu, lord of Higo, welcomed Kamenaga Shinnō, a son of Emperor Go-Daigo.
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Koyō Shrine Kugutsushi Dance and Sumo
, every 3 years
Performance of kugutsushi puppets consisting of a dance followed by a sumō bout.
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Yamanokuchi tradition of Bunya Ningyō
Four times a year
One of five surviving bunya-ningyō traditions. The Yamanokuchi tradition is thought to date back to the early Edo period and is today preserved in a purpose-built museum.
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Shodon Shibaya
15th day of the eighth month
A local form of kabuki also known as jikyōgen, performed by men wearing conical jingasa war hats made of paper. The character known as sanbato is wearing a bowler hat and carries a baton. The program includes dances, kyōgen and puppet entertainment.
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Tōgō tradition of Bunya-bushi Bunraku
Various times
A narrative type of bunya-ningyō puppetry accompanied by shamisen only and originating in the bunraku tradition of Kansai. Designated under criteria 2, 3.
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Yoron full moon dance
15th day of the third, eighth and tenth month
A performance alternating between kyōgen and fūryū. The dances are seen as prayer for peace on the island, for abundant crops and also as a thanks for the harvest.
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Other
16 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.
Twelve types of traditional Ainu dances and nine songs including ritual dances performed during festivals, imitative dances, dances for entertainment only. Many of these are circular dances and accompanied by song.
Hokkaido
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Ritual Entertainments of Ame no Miya Shrine
, every 3 years
Elegant dances with hayashi flutes and drums aimed at driving away diseases and evil spirits from the fields and praying for abundant crops. The highlight is the piece Hashigagari in which four large lion heads are paraded in front of the shrine.
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Snow Festival
Anan, Nagano
Ritual entertainments of Nangū Shrine
–5
Ritual entertainments including ritual rice planting, mikoshi carrying and ritual dances that serve as a prayer for abundant crops.
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Kamikamogawa Sumiyoshi Shrine Shinji Dance
First weekend in October
Various forms of entertainment as part of the shrine's festival, such as: dengaku, noh, sword dances, lion dances, fan dances, and sarugaku.
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Ritual Entertainments of Kasuga Wakamiya On matsuri
–18
Various entertainments including a presentation of horsemanship skills, kagura, dengaku, bugaku, yamato mai and sarugaku, a form of noh. The festival was initiated by Fujiwara no Tadamichi to welcome and appease the kami in response to a series of floods, famines and disease during the chōshō era.
Takezaki Kanzeonji Temple's Shujōe Oni
–3
A Hadaka Matsuri where men in loinclothes try to stop an oni in a red kimono carrying a box. The event also includes a masked dance of two boys.
Part of the Suwa Shrine festival, these are a set of ceremonial dedicatory dances with distinct foreign influences from China, Holland and Portugal: jaodori, lion dance, kujira no shiofuki, kokkodesho, aranda manzai.
Shujō Oni Festival
7th day of the first month
New Year fire festival of Rokugo Manzan praying for a good harvest and health. The event features a fight between two ogres brandishing torches.
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Ada Shinugu
, Two days starting with the day of the boar in the 7th month
Ritual praying for a good harvest and health in which men climb a mountain, cover themselves in plants, taking the role of deities for one day.
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Iejima Village Dance
Mid November
Various dances, including a portrayal of the Chūshingura story.
Thanksgiving ritual for the harvest in which men row out in boats to meet the deity of abundant crops while women perform dedicatory dances to Maitreya Buddha.
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Tarama Hōnensai Festival
8th day of the 8th month
Variety of dances and drama performed over three days as a thanksgiving prayer for abundant crops. The performances include lion dances, bō-odori, nisai odori and kyōgen.
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Taketomi Tanadui Festival
27th and 28th day of the 9th month
Festival with a variety of performing arts including dances by women or girls and kyōgen in dedication to the gods for purifying the ground and starting the sowing of seeds.
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Yonaguni Festival Arts
Unfixed dates
Ritual entertainment of harvest thanksgiving including a narrative prayer, dances, lion dances, and group dances interspersed with kyōgen performances.
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Folk techniques
Manufacturing and production
14 designations.
Name
Criteria
Remarks
Location
Image
Manufacture technology of Japanese-style ships in the Tsugaru Strait and surrounding area
2, 3
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Manufacture technology of Itaya winnowing baskets in Akita
3
—
Manufacture technology of Kōnosu Akamono
3
—
Excavation technology of Kazusa
3
—
Manufacture technology of Kizumi wisteria winnowing baskets
3
Technique of making Winnowing baskets out of wisteria, moso and other types of bamboo for use in agriculture and tea cultivation. The technology goes back to the mid-Edo period.
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Manufacture technology of Tarai Bune tub boats in Ogi
3
Construction technique of sized tub boats used for spear fishing and seaweed collection since the late Edo period.
Manufacture technology of Ronden Kumanashi winnowing baskets
3
Winnowing basket making technique transmitted in two communities since the mid-Edo period and sold in the Hokuriku region. Wisteria, bamboo, black locust and sometimes are used in the production process. In addition to the basket making, the designated property includes the collection and processing of raw materials.
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Salt-making technology of the agehamashiki method on the Noto Peninsula
Cormorant fishing for ayu sweetfish on the middle Nagara River using wooden boats that hold three people: the fishing master, a helper and the pilot and that feature an iron basket holding a large fire at the front of the boat.
Manufacture technology of hot-springs mineral deposits of Myōban Onsen in Beppu
3
Necessities of life
2 designations, both under criteria 3.
Name
Remarks
Location
Image
Manufacture techniques of Etchū Province
Sedge hat making technique for use in agriculture, festivals and traditional events, that is characterised by a division of labor. In the process men are assembling thin-sliced bamboo sticks into a cone shaped frame, while women sew the sedge onto it. The craft has an unchanged history of more than 400 years and flourished in the early Edo period.
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Manufacture techniques of Enako Bandori
Manufacturing technique of rain coats used in agricultura, that has been a winter farmer side-job in Enako and goes back to the Edo period. The designation includes all process necessary for the production of Enako straw rain coats, from harvest to the final touches on the product. Bandori is a local word for the Japanese giant flying squirrel to which wearers of these raincoats are said to resemble.
