Oki Islands Kagura

 

I'm a big fan of kagura, the traditional performing art of japan that is the least well-known. In my area, Iwami in Shimane, kagura is hugely popular,but over the years I have been fortunate to see some different styles of kagura in Izumo, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Oita, and Miyazaki, and, as shown here, on the Oki Islands.

Nowadays normally only performed during the summer festivals, I was able to see a short performance of three dances put on for a group of tourists on Nishinoshima Island, and the style is Dozen Kagura as opposed to Dogo Kagura. One unusual feature of Dozen kagura that differed from all the others I have seen is the involvement of Miko, shrine maidens.

Miko Mai, or the dance of shrine maidens is probably the most common form of what was once kagura, though it is not usually called kagura nowadays.

The second dance was called Sakibarai or Sakiharai. The dancer represents Sarutahiko and the dance is a protective purification dance.

Traditionally Sarutahiko leads matsuri processions, purifying the path as he goes.

The instruments are the same as other types of kagura I have seen except there is no flute here.

The third dance was Kiribe, but unfortunately I know nothing about the character or meaning of the dance.

I don't know much about the technicalities of music, but a source says that here with dozen kagura it switches between 4/4 and 3/4 which is rare in traditional Japanese music but common in traditional Kprean music. Also worth noting is that the space the dancing is performed within is quite small compared to say Iwami Kagura.

The previous post in this series on the Oki Islands was on Uzukamikoto Shrine.

Uzukamikoto Shrine

 

Uzukamikoto Shrine is located near the northern tip of Ama, one of the main islands in the Oki Islands.

The main kami, Uzukamikoto, sometimes known as Uzuka no Mikoto is unique to those shrine and is obviously a local deity.

The shrine was listed as one of the 4 major shrines of the Oki islands in the 9th century. Its treasures include many volumes  of a Buddhist sutra from the 14th to 16h centuries.

Throughout its history it received major support in terms of donations of land from whoever was the political power of the islands at the time.

According to the myths, the kami was in dispute with a kami on the neighbouring Nishinoshima Island over a certain Princess Hinamachihime of Nishinoshima. The dispute was won by Uzaka no Mikoto and following their marriage she gave birth to a daughter, Yanaihime or Nagirahime, the kami of nearby Nagarihime Shrine.

Nagarihime was born at Byobu Rock at the nearby Akiya Coast, the subject of the previous post in this series.

The honden of the shrine is quite magnificent and large, befitting its earlier importance. Now with a copper roof, it was thatched until about 70 years ago.

Akiya Coast Ama Island

The Akiya Coast is a section of scenic coastline in the northwest of Ama Island.

Some of the inlets on the island are home to what I believe are oyster farms, though they could be another form of shellfish farming.

There are also numerous fishing harbours.

Like the rest of the Oki Islands, the sea is incredibly clean and clear, ideal for swimming, snorkelling, and diving.

Ama is the third-largest of the islands that make up the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan off the coast of mainland Shimane, four of which are inhabited.

Collectively the Oki Islands are a UNESCO Global Geopark and so there is lots of explanatory signboards, in English, of the volcanic geology you can see.

 The Akiya coastline is not quite as dramatic as some of the other sites like theKuniga Coast or Candle Rock, but is nonetheless picturesque, with views across to Dogo, the largest of the islands.

Apparently the site is being marketed as a "powaa supoto" for lovers as the offshore rock formation has an opening that is shaped like a heart when viewed from one end of the beach, and also because a nearby shrine has a myth of a goddess giving birth here.

The previous post in this series was on Tengawa no Mizu Spring.

Tengawa no Mizu Spring

 

Tengawa no Mizu spring is one of the Top 100 Spring Waters of Japan and is located on Ama, one of the inhabited Oki Islands off the north coast of mainland Shimane.

A more poetic translation would be Top 100 Exquisite and Well Conserved Water of Japan.

The name, said to have been given by the famed monk Gyoki who is said to have visited the spot in the early 8th century, means River of Heaven's Blessing.

He is said to have carved a Kannon statue. A Kannoin statue resides in a small "temple" building above the spring, but around the spring are plenty of other statues. You don't see many temples or Buddhist statues on the Okis as every single temple was destroyed in the anti-Buddhist movement of early Meiji.

It is said that the spring produces the same amount of water, 400 tons a day, as it has always done, even when other nearby islands suffered droughts.

The previous post in this series exploring the Oki Islands was on the undersea world.

The Undersea World of the Oki Islands

 

Shimane, on the coast of the Sea  of Japan has some fantastic clear seas and white sand beaches, and none better than around the Oki Islands about 20k-30k off the coast.

Long known as an excellent place for snorkelling and scuba diving, the sea is so clean that oysters caught here can be eaten fresh.

For those who can't snorkel or scuba dive, there is however another option, an undersea viewing boat.

The Amanbow is not a glass-bottomed boat, rather the hull has huge, picture windows, so passengers can sit in the middle and look out as if in an aquarium.

The boat leaves from Hishiura port on Ama Island, and heads out to view the Saburo Iwa Rocks, a group of rock pinnacles rising from the sea just off the coast.

Near the rocks the passengers then head below and look out into a surreal undersea forest of seaweed.

The crew meanwhile throw out food to attract fishes and soon they appear.

It is possible to imagine you are looking at what might be on your dinner table later that night. The seafood on the Oki's is superb.

The previous post in this series exploring the Oki Islands was on the Saburo Iwa Rocks.

Saburo Iwa Rocks

 

Saburo Iwa is a spectacular rock formation in the sea off the coast of Ama, one of the four inhabited islands of the Okis in the Sea of Japan near Shimane.

Visible from a couple of the islands, I took a tour boat, the Amanbow, to view them close up. The reason behind the unusual appearance of the boat will become apparent later.

The boat leaves Hishiura, the main port on the island and heads out into the channel between Ama and Nishinoshima, the neighboring island.

The three towering rocks are named Taro, Jiro, and Saburo by locals.

Technically they are termed sea stacks. The most famous sea stack in the Okis is  Candle Rock.

The Oki Islands have plenty of interesting geological sights and have been made a UNESCO Global Geopark.

Once the boat reaches the rocks it stops and the passengers go below where the hull is mostly  huge windows enabling a slow cruise among the undersea forests....more of that next time

The previous post in this series on the Oki Islands was on the Nishinoshima Seashore.