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Ozu’s Kawabe Shime Kagura
HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Ozu’s Kawabe Shime Kagura
Destination Management Organization KITA-Management
From late March until mid-April, shrines along Ehime Prefecture’s Kawabe Valley, near the castle town of Ozu, host a spiritual dance performance known as the Shime Kagura. It has been performed in the mountainous fringes of Ozu for over two centuries. Tales of unrequited love and bewitching dragons are enacted to the percussive sounds of drums and flutes; it’s both a purification observance and a celebration of the coming of spring that has been designated Intangible Cultural Heritage by Ehime.
Originally related to the purification dances of Izumo-taisha, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines, the Shime Kagura has gradually blended with local beliefs and customs, giving birth to a dance that expresses both suffering and compassion. A short version of the dance is performed to welcome guests staying at Ozu Castle, one of the very few castles in Japan where it is possible to stay overnight.
From Kansai International Airport, take a flight to Matsuyama Airport. From Matsuyama Airport, take the Iyotetsu Bus or Airport Shuttle Bus to Matsuyama Station (about 15 minutes). From JR Matsuyama Station, take the JR Limited Express Uwakai Line to Uchiko Station (about 30 minutes). From there it is about 40 minutes by car to Kawabe Valley.
1664 Kawasaki Kawabe-cho, Ozu-shi, Ehime-ken
Shikoku Region | JNTO Official Website
Ehime Prefecture | JNTO Official Website
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