Tiger Dance of Fires | Traditional performing arts with the wish to protect the town from strong winds and fires [Miyagi Prefecture]

"A tiger on a roof?" at the Hatsuuma Festival , held every year on April 29th in Kami Town, Kami District, Miyagi Prefecture .

a tiger dressed in yellow and black stripes , and this tiger dance has a history of about 650 years and is imbued with a heartfelt wish to protect the region from fires.

This time we will introduce , "Hibuse no Toramai."

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The connection between Hatsuuma and Inari worship

Hatsuuma is the first day of the horse month in February, when the god Inari is said to have descended to Mount Inari (now Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine) . Festivals are held at Inari shrines all over Japan as an event to pray for bountiful harvests, prosperous business, and safety in the home.

is Tagawa Inari Shrine , which is said to be the birthplace of the fire prevention tiger dance. Originally, like other Inari shrines, the tiger dance was dedicated at the Hatsuuma Festival in February, but the festival was now held on April 29th every year, when the dance is dedicated.

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The origin of the fire prevention tiger dance and its designation as a cultural asset

The area around Kami Town (formerly Nakaniida Town) is located at the eastern foot of the Ou Mountains, and its topography makes it susceptible to the influence of the föhn phenomenon, in

For this reason, strong winds in early spring have frequently caused large fires in this area since the reign of the Osaki clan, the Oshu Tandai (Tandai of Oshu), about 650 years ago. "clouds obey dragons, and winds obey tigers," came up with the idea of ​​calming the wind and preventing fires by having the tiger dance.

the "Hibuse no Tora Mai" dance, in which performers dressed as tigers, began.

The aforementioned "Hatsuuma Festival being moved to April" may have been intended to raise residents' awareness of fire prevention by holding a fire prevention event at a time when strong winds begin to blow in early spring and fires are more likely to occur.

Its cultural value as a performing art symbolizing the history of the region has been recognized, and in 1974 (Showa 49) an intangible folk cultural property of Miyagi Prefecture it was selected as a national " intangible folk cultural property for which measures such as record-keeping should be taken

• Link: [Miyagi Prefecture] Designated Cultural Property (Prefectural Designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property) Nakaniida Tiger Dance
• Link: [Agency for Cultural Affairs] Cultural Heritage Online – Nakaniida Tiger Dance

Don't underestimate this local festival; on the day, as you can see in the photo, it is crowded with so many festival goers that it is impossible to move forward properly , Karaku Koji

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An actual performance of the tiger dance

The Hatsuuma Festival is held mainly in Karaku Koji, and on the day of the festival, many stalls line the streets

is the one performed on the roof of Toraya, where the festival headquarters is located

The main tiger dance takes place on the roof of Toraya in Hanaraku-koji!

As in other places, the dance is performed multiple times a day, and the times are published on the Kami Town official website, so you can time it to fit your schedule and go see it

As the time approached, members of the fire brigade appeared from under the roof and began to prepare. As you can see from the bamboo behind them, the wind was blowing quite strongly that day

While I was watching the preparations and paying close attention to the roof, I suddenly realized that the area was filled with spectators. It was becoming difficult to even move around

There are three types of dances: "Honcho no Mai," "Okazaki no Mai," and "Nezame no Tora no Mai." Children dressed in tiger costumes perform these dances on the rooftops to the accompaniment of flutes and drums

Tigers performing dances all over the town

In addition to the festival headquarters (Tora-ya), other locations open to the public include Nakayu Sake Brewery , the area around Nakabunmae , and Takaju Shoten

This time, I was able to see the tiger dance being performed in the garden of Nakayuu Sake Brewery

You can look up from the roof of Toraya, so you can see it from a distance , but here you have to come early and get a good position to see it... There were a lot of people behind me, but I think many of them couldn't see it either.

It was as if a tiger that had been wandering around the town had wandered in and come to drink water...it was an interesting tiger dance!

Tiger masks with a variety of unique expressions

On the day, many tigers appear in the town, but their faces are all different. This is because Kami Town's tiger dance is made up of several groups, each with their own unique tiger mask

Furthermore, because masks are used for many years, differences arise depending on the year they were made and their state of preservation

In addition to differences in color, decoration, and expression, there are also fading and scratches that give a sense of history, and shiny new masks, so every time you come across a tiger mask it looks different. It's not clear how many different types there are, but it might be fun to try and find some unusual ones!

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lastly

On the previous day, April 28th, the "Hatsuuma Festival Eve Festival" will be held, featuring a fantastic nighttime tiger dance under an illuminated backdrop.

Another feature of this festival is that the adults of the town are always behind the scenes, and the main characters the children .

Among local elementary and junior high school students, it is an honor to be involved in the role of a tiger, and auditions are held not only for the tiger role but also for the flute and drum troupe!

Seeing the children practicing hard before the performance gives you a sense of the local community's desire to preserve traditions across generations

Fire Prevention Tiger Dance (Hatsuuma Festival) <Information>

• Name: Fire Prevention Tiger Dance (Hatsuuma Festival)
• Date: April 29th every year
• Venue: Nakashinden and Hanarakukoji area, Kami-machi, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0229-63-6000 (Kami Town Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division)
• Official URL: Miyagi Prefecture Official Website – Nakaniida Tiger Dance

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