Kuta Hanagasa Dance: The Solid Bonds of a Rural Community

Overview

Forty-one ritual folk dances from around Japan were added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List in 2022. The Kuta Hanagasa Dance is performed in a rural community in the very north of Kyoto city. Every summer, the men make flower lanterns by hand to be used in the ritual as they sing and dance to a drum accompaniment before the local deities in gratitude for a plentiful harvest. Discover the Kuta villagers' lifestyle and follow their preparations for the ritual.