What Is Omoto Kagura?
A Sacred Performing Art Rooted in Ancient Beliefs
Omoto Kagura is a ritual performing art that developed from the ancient Omoto belief system, which has been practiced throughout the Iwami region for centuries. It was once also known as Omoto-mai.
Each community traditionally enshrines its own local deity, known as an Omoto-gami. Every few years, a special ceremonial festival is held in which Kagura is dedicated to the deity. The tradition contains strong elements of prayer for agriculture and the prosperity of the local community.
A Rare Tradition of Divine Possession and Prophecy
One of the most distinctive features of Omoto Kagura is the survival of a ritual involving kamigakari, or divine possession, through which messages or prophecies are traditionally received.
Unlike Kagura performed primarily as entertainment, Omoto Kagura retains a strong sacred and ritual character. Its dances are performed by Shinto priests as part of religious ceremonies, giving the tradition both artistic value and religious significance.
In 1979, Omoto Kagura was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. The tradition continues to be carefully preserved by local communities today.
Highlights of the Museum
A Reconstructed Kagura Dance Hall
The centerpiece of the museum is a reconstruction of an approximately eight-tatami-mat dance hall, the sacred space where Kagura performances take place.
The reconstructed space allows visitors to see the arrangement used for actual religious ceremonies and gain a closer impression of the atmosphere in which Omoto Kagura is performed.
The Tengai Canopy and Its Symbolism
A Sacred Space Representing the Universe
Suspended above the dance hall is an elaborate decoration known as the tengai. Nine smaller canopies hang from the structure, each representing an element of the traditional cosmological system.
The four corners correspond to the east, west, south, and north, and are associated with deities representing wood, fire, metal, and water. At the center is the deity associated with earth.
This arrangement reflects the ancient East Asian concept of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. The dance hall therefore represents more than a performance stage—it expresses the traditional worldview underlying Omoto Kagura.
Seasonal Decorations
Decorative cut-paper ornaments representing the four seasons are placed around the dance hall. These decorations express the close relationship between nature, the changing seasons, and religious belief.
Viewed as a whole, the dance hall can be understood as a symbolic representation of the traditional universe in which humans, nature, and the divine are interconnected.
The Altar and Sacred Offerings
The Straw Serpent of the Omoto Deity
At the center of the sacred space is an altar featuring a straw serpent, known as takutsuna, which symbolizes the Omoto deity.
More than 30 types of offerings, including grains representing the agricultural harvest, are placed on the altar. These offerings express gratitude and prayers for the many blessings that support everyday life, including food, clothing, and shelter.
Recreating the Tunanuki Ritual
A Dramatic Ceremony Involving the Straw Serpent
The museum also features a model recreating Tsunanuki, one of the central rituals of Omoto Kagura.
During this ceremony, Shinto priests carry the sacred straw serpent, or takutsuna, while moving around the dance hall to the accompaniment of sacred songs. The movements gradually become more intense and traditionally lead toward a state of kamigakari, or divine possession.
The model allows visitors to gain an impression of the distinctive movement, intensity, and sacred atmosphere of this unusual ritual.
Historical Materials, Masks, and Video Exhibits
Valuable Materials Collected by Michio Ushio
The museum displays valuable books and historical materials collected by the late Michio Ushio. These resources provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the history, beliefs, and development of Omoto Kagura.
Traditional Kagura Masks
Reproductions of Kagura masks dating from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period are also displayed. Their carefully crafted forms and varied facial expressions offer an interesting glimpse into the artistic side of traditional Kagura.
Video Recordings of Rare Performances
Monitors inside the museum show recordings of Kagura performances that are now rarely performed, as well as documentary footage recorded around the time Omoto Kagura received its cultural property designation.
These audiovisual exhibits provide a useful way to experience aspects of the tradition that visitors may not otherwise have an opportunity to see in person.
Representative Omoto Kagura Performances
Shihōhai
Shihōhai is a dance that purifies the four directions. It is considered a fundamental and important dance that forms the basis for the other performances.
Taiko-guchi
Taiko-guchi is performed primarily through musical accompaniment. The sounds of the instruments are used to invite the presence of the deity.
Goza
Goza represents the seat of the deity and features distinctive movements involving a traditional goza, a woven rush mat.
Tengai
Tengai is a mysterious performance involving the suspended canopy above the dance hall. The movements and decorations emphasize the presence of the divine.
Tsunanuki
Tsunanuki is a powerful ritual involving the sacred straw serpent. It is particularly associated with the tradition of kamigakari, or divine possession.
Rokusho-mai
Rokusho-mai is a vigorous dance performed by all of the participating Shinto priests. It expresses prayers offered to the deities.
A Living Tradition Rooted in the Community
A Form of Local “Sato Kagura”
Because Omoto Kagura is dedicated to the deity of each individual community, it is rarely performed outside its traditional areas. It is therefore sometimes described as a form of sato Kagura, or village-based Kagura, that has remained relatively unknown outside the region.
This close connection with individual communities is also what makes the tradition particularly meaningful. Omoto Kagura is not simply a performance preserved for visitors; it remains closely connected with local people’s lives, beliefs, and seasonal ceremonies.
Nature as Part of the Sacred World
Traditional Omoto belief is also closely associated with shrines and sacred trees. Before formal shrine buildings became widespread, people are believed to have regarded elements of the natural landscape itself as manifestations of the divine.
The deity affectionately known as “Omoto-san” continues to be regarded as a guardian of the local community, reflecting the enduring relationship between nature, spirituality, and everyday life in Iwami.
Visitor Information
Admission
Admission is free. Visitors are required to register at reception when using the facility.
Access
From Asahi Interchange on the Hamada Expressway, it takes approximately 15 minutes by car.
Experience the Spiritual Culture of Iwami
Omoto Kagura Heritage Museum is more than a museum displaying historical objects. It is a place where visitors can explore a living tradition rooted in the religious beliefs, natural environment, and community life of the Iwami region.
The reconstructed dance hall, sacred decorations, offerings, traditional masks, historical materials, and video exhibits help explain how ancient forms of prayer have been preserved across generations.
For travelers interested in Japanese mythology, Shinto traditions, folk performing arts, and regional culture, the museum offers a valuable opportunity to encounter a lesser-known aspect of Japan’s spiritual heritage.
Visiting this quiet corner of Shimane provides a chance to look beyond Japan’s famous temples and shrines and discover a more intimate form of traditional culture—one that remains closely connected to the land and the people who continue to protect it.