Kuromori Kagura is originated from the Kuromori Shrine located in Yamaguchi 8! Miyako City. On New Year’s Day, participating residents go around the villages along the Rikuchu coast for prayers carrying a ‘Gongen’ (lion head) symbolizing the divine spirit of the Kuromori Shrine. At night, kagura tents are put up on the tatami mats of selected residence as the accommodation for the dancers. Evening kagura are performed as the prayer for bountiful harvest, big catch, and world peace.

The procession takes place every other year along the coast of the former Morioka clan, going north from Yamaguchi to Kuji City known as the “Northern Tour”. The team also march to the south (Kamaishi City) and the rouge is commonly known as the “Southern Tour”. All these routes remain unchanged until early modern times.

Such a historic Kagura covering such a large geographical area is extremely rare though the country. Since the tradition still well preserved, it was designated as a national important intangible folk cultural asset in March 2006.