Fire Prevention Tiger Dance: A traditional performing art that conveys the wish to protect the town from strong winds and fires [Miyagi Prefecture]

"A tiger on the roof?" Such a surprising sight can be seen at the Hatsuuma Festival , held every year on April 29th in Kami-cho, Kami-gun, Miyagi Prefecture .

The main character is a "tiger" clad in yellow and black stripes , and this tiger dance has a history of approximately 650 years and embodies a heartfelt wish to protect the community from fire.

This time, we'll be introducing the traditional performing art of Nakashinden, Kami Town, called "Hibuse no Toramai" (fire-preventing tiger dance)

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The connection between Hatsuuma and Inari worship

Hatsumarefersto the first "Day of the Horse" in Februarythe day when Inari Okami is said to have descended upon Mount Inari (present-day Fushimi Inari Taisha). Festivals are held at Inari shrines throughout Japan to pray for a bountiful harvest, business prosperity, and family safety.

Tagawa Inari Shrine, Kami-cho,in Nakashinden is considered the birthplace of the fire-preventing tiger dance. Initially, like other Inari shrines, the tiger dance was performed at the Hatsuumasai festival in February, but now the festival is held on April 29th every year, and the dance is performed at that time.

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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 effects of "mountain-crossing winds (foehn phenomenon)," where westerly winds blowing from the Sea of ​​Japan side from winter to spring become "dry, warm winds" that cross the mountains and blow down

Because of this, large fires caused by strong spring winds frequently occurred in this area, starting around 650 years ago during the reign of the Osaki clan, the Oshu Tandai (governor of Mutsu Province). Following the Chinese"clouds follow the dragon, and wind follows the tiger,"thought that they could calm the wind and prevent fires by making tigers dance.

This is how the "fire-preventing tiger dance," in which dancers dressed as tigers perform, is said to have begun.

The aforementionedchange in the date of the Hatsuuma Festival to Aprilmay have been intended to raise residents' fire prevention awareness by holding a fire prevention event during the time when strong winds begin to blow in early spring and fires are more frequent.

Recognized for its cultural value as a performing art symbolizing the region's history, it was designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Miyagi Prefecture in 1974 (Showa 49) as "Nakashinda Tiger Dance," and further selected in 2006 (Heisei 18) 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> Nakashinda Tiger Dance
• Link:[Agency for Cultural Affairs] Cultural Heritage Online – Nakashinda Tiger Dance

Don't underestimate this local festival; as you can see in the photo, it's incredibly crowded with festival-goers, and the mainstreet, Karaku-koji,becomes so congested that it's almost impossible to move forward.

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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

Tiger dances are performed all over town, but the one you absolutely shouldn't miss is the one performed on the roof of "Tora-ya," 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 (Toraya), other locations such as Nakayu Sake Brewery , the area in front of Chubun , and Takato Shoten have been opened to the public as venues, but it seems that dances are also sometimes performed at individual homes in the town.

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

The roof of Toraya is positioned so you have to look up to see it, and you can appreciate it from a distance, but in this case, you really can't see it unless you arrive early and secure a spot. There were a lot of people behind me, and I think many of them couldn't see 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 April 28th, the day before,the "Hatsuuma Festival Eve"will also be held, featuring a fantastical nighttime tiger dance illuminated by lights.

Another characteristic of this festival is that the adults of the town are merely behind the scenes, and the main charactersthe 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 – Nakashinda Tiger Dance

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