What is Shishiodori? A detailed introduction to its characteristics and stories that will make the dance even more fun [Iwate Prefecture]

The folk performing arts handed down throughout Japan vary in character from region to region, and the Shishiodori (Deer Dance), which is widely practiced in Iwate Prefecture, is one such folk performing art

In this article, we will introduce three interesting facts about the Shishiodori that will make it even more fun

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What is Shishiodori?

Deer Dance is a folk performing art that is mainly passed down in Iwate Prefecture. The dancer, who covers the upper half of his body with a deer head and a cloth hanging from it, and carries a bamboo sasara on his back, sways his upper body back and forth and dances while jumping vigorously, as if to represent the movements of a deer

The Shishiodori can be broadly divided into two types: the curtain dance type and the taiko dance type, depending on whether the dancers perform musical instruments or not. The characteristics of each type are summarized in the table below

Makudori style deer dance

• Area: Northern to central Iwate Prefecture
• Performance: No (there is a separate performer for the festival music)
• Deer head: A wooden carved deer head decorated with wooden antlers and openwork family crests
• Gestures: There is a gesture of holding the curtain in one hand and waving it around in time with the dance
• Special features: Kannagara, made by thinly shaving a type of willow tree with a plane, and Zai, paper hair

Taiko Drum Dance Deer Dance

• Area: Southern Iwate Prefecture to Miyagi Prefecture
• Performance:
• Deer head: A wooden carved deer head with real deer antlers and horsehair hair called "zai."
• Movement: During the dance, there is a move in which the sasara is slammed into the ground to exorcise evil spirits
• Characteristics: A sasara, a bamboo pole over 3 meters long with paper pasted on it, is carried on the back to resemble a sacred offering

Taiko dance is further broadly divided into three schools: Gyozan-ryu, Kanazu-ryu, and Kasuga-ryu

Originally it was performed at community festivals, but now some schools have it as a club activity, so it can be said that the form of the Shishiodori has changed with the times

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Things you should know to make the Shishiodori even more fun

Here are three interesting facts to know that will make watching the Shishi Odori even more enjoyable

[Episode 1] Deer Dance and "Marebito Faith"

As mentioned in the previous section, the deer heads used in the deer dance give off a somewhat eerie feeling, but this is because the deer dance is thought to be one expression of the "marebito faith."

"Marebito faith" is a term coined by the Japanese literature scholar Orikuchi Shinobu, and refers to the belief that ancestors who protect people from evil spirits from the eternal world where the spirits of the dead reside come regularly every year to bless the people. It is also considered an important element in folklore studies as it provides a clue to exploring the faith of the Japanese people.

The deer dance was originally performed as a ritual to bring deer from the mountains to the gardens of homes. After purifying the area by exorcising evil spirits, the dance served as a prayer for a bountiful harvest, a memorial service for the deer who have passed away, and other entertaining performances to lighten the mood

This form of deer dance still remains today in Esashi Ward, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture

[episode 2] Deer Dance Performance

There are various Shishi Odori performances to suit different purposes, and each has a different level of difficulty

The main performances of the Makuodori are as follows:

• Inlet end
• Gardening
• check
• Pull end

The main performances of the Taiko Dance are as follows:

• female deer
• scarecrow
• Harukoma
• Gun Dance
• Tosa 

Of these, Mejishigakushi (Female Deer) is one of the most popular pieces, and is performed by a mother deer called "Nakadachi" and six male deer. The male deer searches for the female deer who has gone into hiding, and this piece is said to test the dancer's expressiveness

[Episode 3] "The Deer Dance" depicted in Kenji Miyazawa's fairy tale

, left behind a work called "The Beginning of the Deer Dance," which uses the deer dance as its motif

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The piece is in the form of the narrator recounting hearsay from the West Wind, but is said to have as its theme the true spirit of the Shishiodori dance

Miyazawa Kenji is said to have had synesthesia, a condition in which the senses mix, such as seeing colors in letters and shapes in tastes and smells. `` Hearsay by the West Wind,'' which he painted at the beginning of the Deer Dance, is said to express Miyazawa Kenji's synesthesia, in which he sees words in sounds.

If you want to understand the spirit behind people forgetting the difference between themselves and deer and trying to dance together through the world of synesthesia that Miyazawa Kenji felt, be sure to read "The Origin of the Deer Dance."

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summary

Deer dances are broadly divided into two types: curtain dances and drum dances, and are still performed today in various forms, such as at festivals and club activities. However, we found that they can be enjoyed even more if we take a look at the Marebito faith, the performances, and the world of deer dance depicted in Miyazawa Kenji's fairy tales

Please use this article as a reference to enjoy the Shishiodori performance even more

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