Media writing and Kagura.

      Media writing presents a good opportunity to show ones appreciation of an event.  Going to an event in another country can open a person up to unimagined marvels.  Visiting a country and getting off the beaten path that most tourists stay in can give a whole new perspective on art, history, and much more.  This paper from a communications class reflects on one of these treats.

Beyond the Beaten Path: Kagura

      We are going to take you to the Matsuri to see Kagura was all that was said.  I had no idea what was in store for me, but my friends had shown me many things that had begun to awaken a sense of connection in my subconscious.  What was this Matsuri I was going to and who was Kagura?  A deep excitement told me to forget the years of logic my upbringing in the United States had taught me and listen to the skip in my heart.  Matsuri is a festival and instead of a who, the Kagura is a what; I was to be given the honor of witnessing an ancient dance tradition in a remote mountain village!

            The mid-September day we made the trek to Jakuchi was a gleaming jewel to behold. How fitting to witness a dance with the origin of luring Amaterasu Omikami, the ancient sun goddess, out of hiding in her cave.   Splashes of crimson and gold broke the emerald green mountains as we wound our way up the serpentine road along the river. The huddled houses along the way boasted the beautiful tiles that glisten like the scales of some mighty dragon resting in the sun and whisper of a hidden permanence that is missing in my home country; the buildings may vanish, but the memory and tradition would remain.  Upon arriving at our destination, we had time to walk to nearby Ryuzu falls before Kagura started. 

            Walking past a lower falls, a subtle curiosity is the lack of garbage.  In the US, there would be cigarette butts and other discarded items on the ground.   That sort of behavior would be shameful here and the people would not dishonor themselves by leaving their refuse. The tranquility is preserved for all within this collectivist society.  Hiking toward the falls, Chris spotted a single water bottle, the only sign of human trespass, in the river far below.  It was a steep climb off the trail, but over he went.  Leaving the trail is not expected behavior and people watched curiously as he made his descent.  When he pulled the bottle from the river and stood up, the crowd applauded, almost as if he had rescued an infant from a burning building.  Things were once again as they should be and the hike continued.  Already the mist was thickening the air, rising from the verdant cauldron below the falls. It was a perfume to entice ancient gods to visit this place, as if it was put here just for their comfort.

            Seeing what the other senses were already aware of confirms this is a real place and not a hallucination.  Jakuchi is the perfect place for a dance to entertain the gods, for if they are around, they would come to Ryuzu falls to drink.  The plunge of the water, the feel in the chest as it showers the basin below, the smell, the sound,  the pristine setting, all combined to create something that is more of a feeling than any one sense could ever hope to perceive.  Shinto, Japan’s indigenous religion, undoubtedly recognized this place for what it is: sacred.  The hike to Ryuzu falls set the proper mood to appreciate the Kagura.

            Back in the village, the crowd gathered in front of the outdoor stage.  The electric feel of anticipation filled the air as the music began to weave a spell over the eager crowd.  The hero came onto the stage in a costume that could have existed centuries ago and brought timelessness with him.  Becoming lost in the moment is easy as the Hayashikata play their haunting tune on ancient instruments from offstage and the Maikata move in slow, deliberate motions that reflect the centuries of discipline behind this art. Even with the influence of the Edo period, there is an echo of Japan’s very roots evident onstage, reaching forward from a forgotten time.  The story progresses, the tempo builds and the tale of the serpents that were devouring the youth of the village unfolds.

            The rise and fall of the music and the colors of the costume were no accident.  The colors carried all the hues of the forest around and there is a symbolic meaning in everything.  On the surface was a show to entertain the masses, but the complexity woven with the colors and music made it so much more. The strength and mass of each serpent was magnified by the forest behind as the hero faced off against his magnificent foe.  The stillness in the air magnified the gravity of the situation as if the very maples who shared the serpent’s hues dared not tremble, not wanting the hero to turn on them next.  One after another the Serpents stood against the hero, only to die with the flash of his fearsome blade.

            The hero, hunting the serpents, was not only battling against the curse on the village that kept claiming their youth, but fighting the very death of the seasons at this Matsuri, or fall festival.  The red, orange, and green serpents were but reflections of the trees that witnessed this show.  The hero fought, until all of the serpents were gone, all color was gone.

            Now comes the peace of winter.  The music winds down in the background as the Kagura ends.  The tremendous crowd dispersed and not a scrap of paper or hint of what took place was left to mar the landscape. It is as if this was but a dream and people were allowed to watch a show in the theater of the ancient gods.  Learning what the Kagura truly is means discovering the deep meaning is different for everyone who watches it; what will it mean to you?

             

References

Goldberger, P. (2011, April). Miracle above Manhattan. National Geographic, 123-137.

Groemer, G. (2010). Sacred dance at Sensoji: The development of a tradition. Asian Ethnology, 69(2), 265-292. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/‌pqdweb?did=2249001971&sid=1&Fmt=6&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Kárpáti, J. (2008). Typology of musical structures in the Japanese Shintô ritual Kagura. Asian Music, 39(2), 152-166, 202. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/‌pqdweb?did=1547407841&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD

What is Kagura. (n.d.). Kids web Japan. Retrieved from Ministry of foreign affairs of Japan website: http://web-japan.org/‌kidsweb/‌meet/‌kagura/‌kagura01.html

Yamasaki, C., & Yamasaki, T. (2008). Conversations with Japanese host. Private conversations presented on the September trip to the Matsuri in a rural mountain village, Jakuchi, Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan.