“Onomai-dance” (Dance of the King) at the Annual Uwase-jinja Shrine Festival in Wakasa Town, Fukui Prefecture 2018

The Annual Festival of Uwase-jinja Shrine in Kiyama, Wakasa Town, Fukui Prefecture is held on April 8th every year. “Onomai-dance” (Dance of the King) which is designated as a National Selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property is offered at the festival. 4 areas; Umiyama, Kitajo, Oyabu, Kanayama take turns to hold the festival each year.

This year, Kanayama area held the festival.

A young man performs the dance. Although how the dancer performs, the costume, the music are differ depending on the area, the mask and the pike are the same in all areas.

The dancer with Tengu long-nosed goblin mask and a bird-shaped hat holding a pike

A jumping movement called Sparrow Dance which the dancer performs at the end of the performance.

Lion Dance

Dengaku (A traditional dance performed at rice plantings）