ARTIST

Kawauchi Shishiodori

Miyako City, Iwate

This is a shishiodori that a man from Kawauchi, named Kisota, is said to have learned in Sendai where had gone to work for a sake dealer, and later brought back to his home village. Shishiodori Yurai-ki, a scroll detailing the origin of the dance, records, “Tenth year of the An’ei era, April 15, Kisota of Kawauchi Village”; the dance has therefore existed since before 1781.
Every year during the Bon Festival (August 15, 16), it visits homes in their first year of mourning to pray for the dead, and on August 16, it performs a niwaodori (garden dance) at the local Ryugetsu-in temple. It also performs at the Kawai Folk Performing Arts Festival in November.

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