What is Hinoemata Village, a hidden village where the locals pass on the art of Kabuki? [Fukushima Prefecture]

Hinoemata Villageis located in the southwesternmost part of Fukushima Prefecture, bordering Gunma, Tochigi, and Niigata Prefectures. Forests cover 98% of its total area of ​​approximately 340 square kilometers.

With a population of approximately 550 people (as of January 2020), it is also the village with the lowest population density in Japan

Hinoemata Village Office is located at an altitude of approximately 939m, in one of Japan's leading heavy snowfall areas where snow can accumulate up to 3m in winter, anda hidden gem of Fukushima Prefectureis also known as

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Hinoemata is the northern gateway to Oze

Hinoemata Village isOze National Parka popular starting point for hikers and tourists, serving as a northern trailhead to

OzeMt. Hiuchigatake (2,356m above sea level), the highest peak in the Tohoku region, and encompassing areas such as Ozenuma Lake, Ozegahara Marsh, and Oze Marsh, spread across an altitude of 1,400m to 1,600mJapan's largest high-altitude wetland area.

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Hiking course from Hinoemata Village to Oze

Lake Ozenuma Course

• Hinoemata Village to Nanairi (Private cars can go this far; parking available. *There is a bus connection from Hinoemata Village/Mioike to Numayama Pass.)
• Numayama Pass
• Lake Ozenuma

The trail from Numayama Pass to Ozenuma Lake is approximately 6.5 km long, passing through the Oze Marshland, and takes about 2 hours to walk. It's a suitable course even for beginners

Ozegahara Course

• Hinoemata Village
• Oike (Private cars can go this far; parking available)
• Ura-Hiuchi Forest Road (Oike-Tashiro, Hime-Tashiro, Kamitashiro, Tenjin-Tashiro, Usagi-Tashiro)
• Hot spring hut

It takes about 3 hours and 30 minutes on foot, or 4 hours and 20 minutes if you stop by Sanjo Falls

• Hot spring hut
• View
• Ryugu-Ushikubi (crossing Oze Marsh)
• Yamanohana

Approximately 40 minutes on foot

The above is the beginner's course

mountain hut staysandclimbing routes to the famous peaks of Oze, but no matter which route you choose, be sure to prepare clothing and equipment that can withstand bad weather.

In addition, Hinoemata VillageMt. HiuchigatakeincludingMt. Aizu-Komagatake(2,133m),Mt. Hiragatake(2,141m), andMt. Shibutsusanserves as a base for climbing mountains over 2,000 meters high,

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Hiedagata, where the noble family who lost the war settled

in Hinoemata VillageThe discovery of numerous Jomon pottery fragmentssuggests that people have lived there for quite some time.

in the early Heian period, in 794,Fujiwara no KaneharuRecords show that"Hoshi". Even today, "Hoshi" is the most common surname in Hinoemata Village, accounting for about 40% of the village's population.

In Hinoemata Village, there are other"the Heike clan refugees settled here"legends, such as that"the Tachibana family, who were destroyed by Oda Nobunaga, took refuge here."As if to prove these legends, there are also a great many people with the surname"Hirano"(nearly 40% of the village's population),"Taira," and "Tachibana"(slightly over 10% of the village's population). If you include "Hoshi," a staggering 90% of the villagers belong to one of these three surnames.

considered prestigious among court nobles during the Heian periodFujiwara, Taira, Minamoto, and Tachibana—Of the four surnamesFujiwara, Taira, and Tachibanait is extremely rare to find a family with three of them:

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During the Edo period, it developed as a distribution hub on the old Numata Kaido road

Hinoemata is a very mountainous area, often used as a hiding place for refugees, but from the Edo period until the early Meiji era, itthe old Numata Road (Aizu Road)was a key point on

The old Numata Road was a route that crossed the Numayama Pass from the Aizu side and led from the shores of Ozenuma Lake to Numata in Kōzuke Province (present-day Gunma Prefecture). Itthe Numatafrom the Numata sideRoadwas called

The old Numata Road was mainly used to transport rice and sake from the Aizu side, and salt and oil from the Numata side. Because it was a mountainous route, trading huts were set up on the shores of Ozenuma Lake where goods were exchanged

Hinoemata, located at the foot of Oze, served as a gathering point for the Aizu side

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Edo Kabuki brought to life by villagers on pilgrimages to Ise Shrine

For the reasons mentioned above, among others, pilgrimages to Ise Shrine were popular in Hinoemata, which was relatively wealthy during the Edo period

Then, in the late Edo period, a villager who was on a pilgrimage to Ise Shrine saw a kabuki performance in Edo along the way and was so impressed that he told his villagers about it when he returned home, and that is said to be the"Hinoemata Kabuki."beginning of

began as a form of imitationHinoemata Kabuki, but its appeal spread to the villages of Aizu, and it became so popular that it is said that each village had its own troupe.

Through the competition among the various troupes, the performances gradually evolved into a form that closely resembled authentic Edo Kabuki

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"Hinoemata Kabuki" is performed three times a year on the "Hinoemata Stage"

"Hinoemata Kabuki" is performedon May 12th(Atago Shrine Festival),August 18th(Guardian Shrine Festival), andthe first Saturday of Septemberthree times a year"Hinoemata Stage".

Currently, there is only one Hinoemata Kabuki troupe in Hinoemata village, but all the performers and backstage crew are villagers who have other jobs and are carrying on the tradition

Despite the complete absence of professional actors, their skillful performances far surpass the level of mere "country theater."

The "Hinoemata Kabuki" will be performedthe "Chiba no Ie Hanakoma-za" troupe, which consists of about 30 members, led by the 11th generation troupe leader, Shoji Hoshi.

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The venue is a shrine forest with no roof except for the stage

The "Hinoemata Stage" is a stage located within the grounds of the guardian shrine of Hinoemata. The stage was rebuilt in its original form around 1897 (Meiji 30) after being destroyed by fire in 1893 (Meiji 26)

The stage has a roof, but the audience seating area does not

The Hiedama Stage is designated as an Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and Hiedama Kabuki is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukushima Prefecture

"Hinoemata Kabuki" will be performed even in rainy weather if possible. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The venue can accommodate approximately 1,200 people

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Kabuki tradition museum "Chiba no Ie" exhibits materials related to "Hinoemata Kabuki"

The Kabuki Tradition Museum "Chiba no Ie"is a museum dedicated to "Hinoemata Kabuki," and displays various materials related to "Hinoemata Kabuki," which has been passed down for 270 years.

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