Hiroshima Kagura Regular Performances

Hiroshima Kagura Regular Performances

Hiroshima Kagura Regular Performances
5
Wednesday
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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【HIROSHIMA KAGURA Regular Performance~Hiroshima Traditional Performing Art~】※With English subtitles and MC in English. One Program Wednesday night April 5 - December 20 ◆Admission (including tax) 1,000 yen (handling charges apply) ◆Doors open at 6 pm (subject to change) ◆Show begins at 7 pm ◆Show ends at 7:45 pm (approx.) ◆Photo Session to Follow ※Video recording is only allowed with smartphones and cell phones. However, uploading to the Internet or social media is limited to 2 minutes. Photography is allowed at any seat, but no flash is allowed. ●Tickets are non-refundable except in cases where performances have been cancelled, postponed, or the organizers are at fault. Thank you for your understanding. ●As this is an evening show, middle school aged children and younger must be accompanied by a parent/guardian (children less than 3 years old can watch from their parent/guardian’s laps). ●Performance may be cancelled due to inclement weather (typhoons, etc).
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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HooEhUgh
Phoenix, AZ10 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
This was definitely one of my highlights while in Hiroshima and was a perfect way to experience Hiroshima culture while supporting the local artists of a traditional art form. The costumes were so unique and colorful, and the combination of live music created a wonderful atmosphere that transported me to a different world. After the performance, attendees had the opportunity to take pictures with the performers in costume and see them up close. Information and announcements were clearly provided in both Japanese and English, and there was a section for English attendees with a screen that displayed English translations. Tickets were only 1000 yen each, which I thought was a great bargain for the cultural experience and opportunity to leave with pictures with the performers. Wonderful!
Written September 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for coming to Hiroshima Kagura Regular Performances and taking the time to comment. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the show and had a good experience in Hiroshima. We look forward to your next visit!
Written September 16, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

teeism
New York City, NY13 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
We stumbled on the performance by chance when we were looking for something to do. Performances are held only on Wednesdays, so we were very fortunate that it coincided with our free evening.

It was such a treat to experience this. Absolutely an electrifying performance! It was incredibly vibrant and energetic. The costumes were beautiful. The choreography was fantastic. The music was amazing as well. Honestly, I preferred this over many Cirque du Soleil shows I've seen. It was that good.

I did not understand the dialogue, but that did not matter. It was mesmerizing just to watch and listen to the performers and musicians. If you have the chance, you should definitely go watch it. It's conveniently located downtown – near the Peace Memorial Park at the Hiroshima Prefectural Citizen's Culture Center (aka The Hiroshima Kenmin Bunka Center). Tickets are only 1,000 yen per person. Don't miss it!
Written April 25, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DavidMMc56
Melbourne, Australia210 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
Kagura dance is a diverse art form, with a variety of costumes and performance styles which was originally dedicated to the deities of Japanese myth and may date back to the 8th century.

Music and dance are combined in a performance lasting just over 2 hours, (2 halves of approx 45 mins)

The music alone is worth the entry fee, two drums, a flute and a small set of cymbals. As there is no musical score the musicians and dancers follow the beat and tempo of the large drum.

The story told by the dancers is easy to follow and there are no spoken words.

The costumes are magnificent and colorful.

All the performers are traditionally male, even those playing the part of the females.

We found out about this by accident and were lucky enough that we were in Hiroshima on a Wednesday night which is the weekly performance there.

There are no pre booked/reserved seats but tickets are easily obtained at the venue and while the crowd is usually large seats can always be found. If you are a photographer there is a complete block of seats reserved for people wishing to photograph the performance and don't be surprised by the sight of cameras and tripods in the seating area.

The venue is modern and seating comfortable.

Check the following url to obtain performance and other details. http://wwwtb.mlit.go.jp/chugoku/kagura/dat/kagura_sheet03.pdf

If you are in Hiroshima and have the time to attend a performance it is a must do.

This was without doubt a cultural highlight for us.
Written July 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pjwrench
London, UK4 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
We had a blast here. Kagura performances are vibrant, expressive and loud- a far-cry from the slow pace of Noh and Kabuki. Kids were in the audience loving the costumes and showiness. ¥1000 for two 45-minute shows plus an opportunity to meet the actors and try on the costumes afterwards is an excellent price. No pre-booking or lengthy queuing was needed either. Would recommend to any traveller.
Written April 29, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jan M
Honolulu, HI243 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
I've never heard of Kagura, so, was thrilled to experience the dramatic, colorful and entertaining show! Kagura originated as a Shinto ritual as a gratitude for agricultural bounty. This folk art form has been preserved and is popular with the younger generation.
The shows are held only on Wednesdays from April to December. The Kagura theatre was a short walk from our hotel and is near the main shopping street. Our show started at 7pm. There were 2 performances, each lasting 45 minutes with a 20 minute break. The English brochures explained the stories that were performed. The costumes, alone, are worth seeing. They were exquisitely embroidered and brocaded and were colorful and ornate. Some weighed over 44 pounds!
There were 4 musicians playing the flute, taiko and other Japanese instruments to accompany and enhance the performance. You can easily follow the performances. Even children will be entranced by the action ---lots of athletic jumping and spinning and special effects.
After the last performance, the audience was invited to take off their shoes and meet the performers on stage. The audience got a chance to try on costumes, take photos with the performers and interact. What an experience for all!
Written April 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PetraDeBorry
6 contributions
Sep 2017 • Solo
Although it was in Japanese, they had flyers explaining the stories in English. I really enjoyed the dancing and music. It's a must go if you're looking for more traditional entertainment.
Written December 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NoPlaceLkeHome
Israel510 contributions
Oct 2016 • Family
The show runs on Wednesday, in the center of Hiroshima. You can't get tickets in advance, but there is no need to. half the theater was empty. The show is in Japanese. They do provide an English leaflet explaining the story. but it is all song and dance anyway. There are 2 a acts. the second one is more impressive. It features 4 snakes/dragons(?) that form different forms on stage. The costumes are very impressive. and the show is very enjoyable. After the performance they let you go on stage, try the costumes on and take photos.
Written November 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maria T
Nagoya, Japan704 contributions
Jun 2016 • Solo
This place in Hiroshima does kagura shows every Wednesday, kagura being a traditional Japanese performance (also has only male actors like Noh and Kabuki) focusing on the dancing aspect. But before I start telling you about the show I went to and to better understand the significance of kagura, a story is in order.
Susanoo seemed to have a few anger management issues, and when once upon a time he got angry and destroyed his sister Amaterasu’s land out of jealousy, Amaterasu fled and hid in a cave taking with her the light from the world for she was (is?) the sun goddess. With the earth in darkness the land soon became infested with demons and evil; people came from far and wide to try and get Amaterasu to return and shed her light once again. After many attempts to convince Amaterasu to leave the cave, it was Uzume who finally managed. She hung a mirror and jewels (two of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan) outside the cave and danced -- the cheers of the other people made Amaterasu peek outside to see what was worth so much noise… when she saw her own reflection in the mirror she was startled enough that the others could pull her out of the cave. Uzume’s performance is said to be the origins of Japanese dance and more specifically a kagura dance.

Kagura is common in Hiroshima and Shimane Prefectures, so I wanted to see if I could see an example during my stay as part of getting to know the culture of the area I was in. This theatre in Hiroshima has two different shows every Wednesday; the first starts at 7pm and the second at 8pm --two different stories--, both lasting about 45min with an intermission session between them.
I didn’t know how many people there would be so I arrived a bit before 5pm, time when they start selling tickets, to make sure I would have a seat. There are two entrances to the hall and both are easy to see if you know where the theatre is. I thought I had found a little known treat to enjoy with the locals, but there were many people in the common area waiting around and even a couple other foreigners later on. This isn’t something I would ever dream of doing elsewhere, but I found it safe enough to abandon my bag in line as I went out to walk around until the doors opened (to be fair, many did the same).
There were plenty of spaces available even if I had arrived later --more than half the theatre--, but the regulars were very excited and ran in quickly as soon as the doors opened to get the best seats. It was funny to see older men and women scurry along, almost pushing past just so they could get a good spot.
Photos are only allowed in certain areas of the theatre so I took a seat further back to take some photos, however I was so enraptured by the show I totally forgot about my camera and didn’t end up taking any! Another foreigner sat next to me so we talked until the lights were turned off and the musicians appeared on stage. After a few bows the four of them sat in a corner of the stage, not out of view for the music was an important part of the show, and the flute began playing as the first act started.

As the legend goes, Prince Yamato killed his older brother. His grieving father King Keiko, fearing the evil nature of his son, sent him to Izumo Province and then to the land of Kumaso (Kumamoto Prefecture) to battle against rebels, hence keeping him at a safe distance.
There are many stories regarding his adventures, but we are interested in the one that explains how he defeated the Kumaso warriors as that is the theme of the kagura show. He disguised himself as a maid attendant and infiltrated himself into the banquet where the Kumaso were feasting and drinking. The Kumaso warriors didn’t realise it was simply a disguise and kept drinking as quickly as possible. When the Kumasos had become drunk, the prince made the most of the opportunity and stabbed them to death. As one of them lay dying he praised Yamato for his well thought-out plan and gave him the title of ‘Yamato Takeru’, ‘The Bravest of Yamato’.
Fun fact: before departing to Izumo he prayed at Ise Shrine asking for the blessing of Amaterasu already mentioned, and later during his life he came to possess the ‘Kusanagi no tsurugi’ sacred sword (the last of the three of Japan’s Imperial Regalia) which Susano-o gave to Amaterasu to ask for her forgiveness after his rampage that sent her to the cave! It really just ties the whole kagura experience together, knowing that they are all connected somehow.

The kagura had its own version of the legend, making Yamato Takeru fight against the Kumaso warriors once they were drunk instead of a simple quick stabbing. Totally worth it though, the sword fight was the best part since there were the six actors on stage dancing around together so rapidly and with much grace that I suspect wouldn’t feature in a real sword fight. Even though I knew how the story went the show had me on the edge of my seat, excited and impressed, hoping the show would never end for the full 45 minutes. At one point the actors were twirling around each other, Yamato Takeru’s men unclipped their clothes and their costumes reversed, showing a burst of colour as they danced in circles. The crowd and myself went wild clapping and cheering, for me it was totally unexpected and the fight that followed only seemed more intense now that the ambience had changed so dramatically.
Even after 45min of dancing the act seemed to end too soon. We weren’t allowed to eat food in the theatre so I thought that the bag of snacks I’d bought just before going in had been rendered pointless, but seeing as many people left through a side hallway leading to the emergency exit doors I decided to follow them. Turns out there is a seating area and some bathrooms at the end of the hall and served as a good space to eat said snacks and stretch my legs during the intermission.

When I was in high school I wrote a 70 page project about the movie ‘Spirited Away’ from Hayao Miyazaki, looking into aspects of Japanese history, folklore and real life influences that the movie had and this introduced me to the world of yokai, led me to reading ‘Kwaidan’ from Lafcadio Hearn and researching all kinds of Japanese monsters. It’s really what sparked my interest for Japan and still today legends and mythology are two of my favourite aspects of Japanese culture. The character Kamaji from the Ghibli movie was inspired by the Tsuchigumo, so I was familiar with the legend before arriving to Hiroshima, but they gave me a sheet of paper in English explaining the two shows anyway and it was useful since I had never heard of the first one.
Hence, Tsuchigumo is a personal favourite yokai of mine and was what I was really looking forward to (both shows were amazing though, I couldn’t choose which one I liked best).

The second act’s story featured Minamoto no Raiko. He was ill in bed with chills and fever and thus sent his maid, Kocho, to a doctor in order to pick up some medicine. On her way back Kocho was killed by the Tsuchigumo, a spider demon, who disguised himself as the maid so he could once and for all solve the deep-seated grudge he held against Raiko.
Tsuchigumo changed the medicine for poison, but Raiko noticed something was off and attacked the impostor with his sword Hizamaru. His retainers Urabe Suetake and Sakata no Kintoki followed Tsuchigumo as he fled to his home in Mt.Katsuragi and, after a fierce battle, finally defeated the demon.
The producers really put in a lot of effort to make the best show they could, even a waterfall of cobwebs (strings) fell around Tsuchigumo as he entered the scene, and was present during the whole show even as Tsuchigumo, defeated, fell to the floor with a flip of his white shaggy hair.

During the battle the taiko drummer, who had been sitting down, stood up to be able to hit the drum as hard as he could, each beat matching the intensity of the fight. He looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself and trying his best, I could see the sweat rolling down his forehead all the way from my seat.

What really wrapped up the whole experience was being able to try on the costumes after the show. The costumes were heavy and definitely difficult to dance with but beautifully embroidered, many ran up to me and asked for photos once I put on the Tsuchigumo mask. I was honoured to be able to meet the taiko drummer for he really made the kagura show much more memorable and exciting.
Only 1000yen I think it is a great way to learn about Japanese culture and have an amazing time. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for the rest of the night.

Note: Don't wear shoes on the stage!
Written October 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LightPacker817560
9 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Interesting Performance with english handout for understanding and possibilities to take photos during and after the show!
Written August 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for coming to Hiroshima Kagura Regular Performances. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the show. This Performance,a show with English subtitles and MC in English from September. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Best regards,
Written September 7, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

elias501
Perth, Australia247 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
We were taken to this performance by a Japanese family and we were not disappointed. We did not completely understand the story but the dancing and acting were very professional. Our young grandchildren really enjoyed it.
Written July 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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