ShokiIwami Kagura
Shoki
Originally Shoki was a Chineise god who was
regarded as a vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings. But in Japan, he is
well-known as a guardian god against plagues. In the olden days, plagues were a
great threat, so this piece had been played with people’s prayers.
Susano-no-mikoto, a Japanese god, appears
on the stage and introduces himself as Shoki. He fights against plagues with a
large hoop of hemp. It is thought that the hemp has a sacred power against
disease. After a fierce fight, Shoki successfully defeats those plagues.
You can see that people walk through the
large hoop of hemp in the ritual ceremony held on June 30th and December 31st.
Go to Kagura Programs