Ameno Uzume

Daidai Kagura (太々神楽) is a traditional dance performance that is dedicated to the Shinto deities. The script is based on Japan mythology. Shinto priests wear masks to play the roles of particular gods and dance along with the traditional orchestra.

In this photo, an old male priest wore a mask called Okame (オカメ) and was playing a Shinto goddess, Ameno Uzume (or Amano Uzume /天鈿女命). Her husband is Sarutahiko (猿田彦). He is one of my favorite deities and I photographed him during the Daidai kagura performance as well.

 

If you want to know more about him and how Ame no Uzume got married him, we posted this article on our blog, Budget Trouble.
 

This is a Sepia Scenes #122, Alphabe-Thursday entry (T is for tradition), and Thursday Challenge. The theme is "MOVEMENT"

        

Kagura Performance in Mibu

Daidaikagura (太々神楽) performance at Umebayashi Tenmangu (梅林天満宮) in Mibu city (壬生町). When you see that the name of the shrine ends with "Tenmangu", it means that Michizane SUGAWARA (菅原道真) is enshrined there. He is a deity of scholarship and deified as "Tenjin sama (天神さま)".

The Shinto deity holding a bow in this photo seems to be Hondawake [= Emperor Ojin (応神天皇)]. As you can guess by just looking at him ready to shoot an arrow, he is defied as the "god of war". His nickname is "Machiman sama (八幡さま)".

I have one more photo of the Kagura performance for you!

This is a Mellow Yellow Monday #109 entry.