Image search results - "kagura"
001-IMG_0151.jpg
April 8, 2006 at Ushigome-Tansu Kumin Hall in Kagurazaka, TokyoStarting at 4 pm, this was the third and last show of the day and all 400 seats were sold out.

The performance had two parts separated by a 20-min. intermission. Each part had several different dances.
001_8139.jpg
"Hana no Kai" Dance by Kagurazaka geishaThe "Hana no Kai" geisha dance is held annually by geisha in Kagurazaka, one of Tokyo's major geisha districts. "Hana" means livley or gaudy. And "Kai" can mean gathering or party.

They held two shows on the same day. This was the second show starting at 3 pm on April 16, 2005. It lasted till about 4:45 pm.
002-IMG_0155.jpg
Part 1 - Edo Scenes (江戸風情): 1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria) 藤むらさきDancers: 小奴、千佳、由良子、舞子
002_8115.jpg
"Blue Ocean Waves" (青海波)They performed four numbers. This first one was called "Blue Ocean Waves" performed by five geisha.
003-IMG_0156.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
003_8123.jpg
Notice that the kimono design shows waves.
004-IMG_0161.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
004_8164.jpg
005-IMG_0164.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
005_8086.jpg
Rear view
006-IMG_0165.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
006_8086.jpg
Shimada hairstyleStandard hairstyle for geisha. This a wig.
007-IMG_0168.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria) by Kagurazaka geisha
007_8053.jpg
Music and singing accompanimentAll numbers was accompanied by live music and singing.
008-IMG_0176.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
008_8224.jpg
Eight Views of Tatsumi (巽八景)The second number was about the Tatsumi and Monzen-nakacho (Fukagawa) district in Koto Ward, Tokyo. The dance reflects the chic and bravado of the area (in the old days) which was one of Tokyo's gay quarters with geisha as well.
009-IMG_0178.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
009_8196.jpg
010-IMG_0181.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
010_8229.jpg
011-IMG_0182.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
011_8211.jpg
012-IMG_0186.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)Dancer's name is Maiko 舞子
012_8266.jpg
Her big round eyes makes her look like a real doll.
012_8888.jpg
Unlike geisha dances in Kyoto which have elaborate backgrounds, the background here is quite plain, making us focus on the geisha which were enough eye candy. The background really didn't matter. The dances were very aesthetic and pleasing to the eyes and ears.
013-IMG_0187.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
013_8238.jpg
014-IMG_0191.jpg
1. Fuji Murasaki (Purple Wisteria)
014_8286.jpg
015-IMG_0193.jpg
Edo Scenes: 2. Sumidagawa (Sumida River)Solo dancer: 眞由美 (Mayumi)
015_8257.jpg
016-IMG_0195.jpg
2. Sumidagawa (Sumida River)
016_8289.jpg
Closing curtain
017-IMG_0197.jpg
2. Sumidagawa (Sumida River)
017_8290.jpg
IntermissionThis Ushigome-Tansu Kumin Hall can hold almost 400 people. Both shows were sold out. Tickets are sold about a month in advance. They sold out within 2 weeks. I was sitting in the middle of the hall (non-reserved seating). Tickets cost only 2,000 yen.
018-IMG_0202.jpg
Edo Scenes: 3. Edo no Nigiwai (Liveliness of Edo) 江戸の賑わいDancers: 竜也、英子、万り
018_8292.jpg
Chestnut Rice Cakes (栗餅)The third number was called "Chestnut Mochi." Mochi is rice cake. They pound sticky rice to make it. Performed by two geisha. The one in blue is a male role.
019-IMG_0206.jpg
3. Edo no Nigiwai (Liveliness of Edo)
019_8315.jpg
020-IMG_0221.jpg
3. Edo no Nigiwai (Liveliness of Edo)
020-IMG_2404.jpg
The cherry blossoms lining Sotobori Moat also look stunning from the road, Sotobori-dori in front of Kagurazaka.
020_8409.jpg
Lively Colors of Kagurazaka(神楽坂華の彩)The final number, called Lively Colors of Kagurazaka (Kagurazaka Hana no Irodori) actually consisted of seven dances. This was the first one performed by three geisha. (ひと里)
021-IMG_0225.jpg
3. Edo no Nigiwai (Liveliness of Edo)After this dance was a 20-min. intermission.
021_8400.jpg
Kagurazaka geisha dance
022-IMG_0228.jpg
Part 2 - 浴曲三味線草: 1. Kagurazakari 神楽ざかり
022_8401.jpg
Kagurazaka geisha dance
023-IMG_0229.jpg
1. Kagurazakari 神楽ざかり
023_8427.jpg
024-IMG_0233.jpg
1. Kagurazakari 神楽ざかり
024_8438.jpg
引けや引け引け
025-IMG_0235.jpg
1. Kagurazakari 神楽ざかり
025_8441.jpg
026-IMG_0247.jpg
Singers and musicians
026_8462.jpg
Mt. Fuji and Mt. Asama(富士や浅間). Solo dance by a geisha named Mari(万り).
027-IMG_0257.jpg
1. Kagurazakari 神楽ざかり
027a-IMG_0266.jpg
2. Hitozato ひと里
027_8492.jpg
The Word Called Love (恋と云う字)
028-IMG_0268.jpg
2. Hitozato ひと里
028_8515.jpg
029-IMG_0278.jpg
3. 梅にも春 Ume ni mo HaruDancers: 千丸、史織
029_8498.jpg
030-IMG_0279.jpg
3. 梅にも春 Ume nimo Haru
030_8513.jpg
031-IMG_0282.jpg
3. 梅にも春 Ume nimo HaruOffering a drink of sake.
032-IMG_0290.jpg
4. Sakura Kazashite 桜かざしてDancers: 舞子、万り (Maiko and Mari)
032_8518.jpg
Finale
033-IMG_0295.jpg
4. Sakura Kazashite 桜かざしてDancer 舞子 (Maiko)
033_8523.jpg
034-IMG_0298.jpg
5. Otsu-e 大津絵眞由美 (Mayumi)
034_8526.jpg
035-IMG_0300.jpg
5. Otsu-e 大津絵眞由美
036-IMG_0302.jpg
6. Hahha Kudoki ハッハくどき
036_8529.jpg
Finale
037-IMG_0305.jpg
6. Hahha Kudoki ハッハくどき
037_8531.jpg
Praying at BishamonBishamon is a Buddhist temple in Kagurazaka where the geisha go to worship. The song included a reference to this temple.
038-IMG_0306.jpg
6. Hahha Kudoki ハッハくどき
038_8405.jpg
Praying at Bishamon
039-IMG_0309.jpg
6. Hahha Kudoki ハッハくどき
039_8537.jpg
FinaleEveryone performed in the finale.
040-IMG_0316.jpg
6. Hahha Kudoki ハッハくどき
040_8539.jpg
041-IMG_0317.jpg
6. Hahha Kudoki ハッハくどき
041_8543.jpg
042-IMG_0319.jpg
7. Sawagi さわぎThe finale where all the geisha appear on stage.
042_8545.jpg
Towel throwingDuring the finale, the geisha started throwing hand towels to the audience.
043-IMG_0321.jpg
7. Sawagi さわぎ
043_8548.jpg
Towel throwingThere were women in the middle the hall also throwing towels to people sitting further back.
044-IMG_0322.jpg
7. Sawagi さわぎ
044_8554.jpg
045-IMG_0331.jpg
7. Sawagi さわぎ
045_8555.jpg
A bow of thanks
046-IMG_0336.jpg
Tossing free hand towels to the audience, a real crowd pleaser...They do this every year. Most people sitting in the front can catch one.
046_8573.jpg
Closing wordsThe women standing in the back are the okami-san (proprietress) of high-class Japanese-style restaurants in Kagurazaka where the geisha are hired to perform at private geisha parties.
047-IMG_0341.jpg
047_8579.jpg
048-IMG_0345.jpg
Arigato
048_8584.jpg
Hand clappingThis is called sanbon-jime, a series of hand clapping to mark the end of a successful meeting.
049-IMG_0346.jpg
Facing the right in thanks...
049_8049.jpg
Hall entrance and sign
050-IMG_0349.jpg
(Applause)
050_1111.jpg
Geisha catching a taxi homePhoto by Kevin Mihaly.
051-IMG_0369.jpg
With okami-san
kg010-20080725_6839.jpg
As the climax of the 37th Kagurazaka Matsuri Festival, the Kagurazaka Awa Odori Dance was held on July 25-26, 2008, from 7 pm to 9 pm. These photos were taken on July 25, 2008. Crowd at Bishamonten.
kg011-20080725_6841.jpg
The Awa Odori is held on Kagurazaka's main street called Kagurazaka-dori, a sloping road near Iidabashi Station. 神楽坂阿波踊り
kg012-20080725_6844.jpg
Eighteen awa odori dance troupes danced this night.
kg013-20080725_6845.jpg
These dancers head to the starting point.
kg014-20080725_6902.jpg
The starting point was here, at the foot of the sloping Kagurazaka-dori near Iidabashi Station.
kg015-20080725_6852.jpg
kg016-20080725_6856.jpg
The local Kagurazaka Awa Odori troupe is Kagura-ren. かぐら連
kg017-20080725_6857.jpg
Kagura-ren かぐら連
kg018-20080725_6859.jpg
Kagura-ren かぐら連
kg019-20080725_6860.jpg
kg020-20080725_6865.jpg
Kagura-ren かぐら連
kg021-20080725_6868.jpg
Kagura-ren かぐら連
kg022-20080725_6883.jpg
Unusual to see a woman drumming a big taiko drum.
kg023-20080725_6879.jpg
Flute players
kg024-20080725_6875.jpg
The Kagura-ren dancers proceed up the sloping Kagurazaka-dori.
kg025-20080725_7041.jpg
kg026-20080725_7043.jpg
kg027-20080725_6892.jpg
kg028-20080725_6896.jpg
kg029-20080725_6919.jpg
Kagurazaka Awa Odori Dance 神楽坂阿波踊り
kg030-20080725_6922.jpg
kg031-20080725_6925.jpg
kg032-20080725_6926.jpg
kg033-20080725_6930.jpg
Kagurazaka Awa Odori Dance 神楽坂阿波踊り
kg034-20080725_6933.jpg
だむだん連
kg035-20080725_6936.jpg
Damudan-ren has an easily-recognizable kimono design pattern. だむだん連
kg036-20080725_6940.jpg
kg037-20080725_6943.jpg
kg038-20080725_6944.jpg
I always see this guy at Awa Odori in Tokyo.
kg039-20080725_6946.jpg
Hyottoko-ren
kg040-20080725_6950.jpg
kg041-20080725_6951.jpg
Kagurazaka Awa Odori Dance
kg042-20080725_6953.jpg
kg043-20080725_6958.jpg
kg044-20080725_6960.jpg
kg045-20080725_6963.jpg
The street is not so crowded for the most part.
kg046-20080725_6966.jpg
kg047-20080725_6972.jpg
kg048-20080725_6973.jpg
kg049-20080725_6976.jpg
kg050-20080725_6978.jpg
kg051-20080725_6988.jpg
Crowd interaction.
kg052-20080725_6991.jpg
Would you believe a Daikon-ren? Yes, eating it is good for your body. だいこん連
kg053-20080725_6997.jpg
kg054-20080725_6999.jpg
kg055-20080725_7000.jpg
Kagurazaka Awa Odori dancers
kg056-20080725_7004.jpg
kg057-20080725_7008.jpg
kg058-20080725_7011.jpg
The street was most crowded in front of Bishamonten temple, the focal point of Kagurazaka.
kg059-20080725_7014.jpg
kg060-20080725_7018.jpg
kg061-20080725_7023.jpg
Kaguazaka Awa Odori dancers in front of Bishamonten temple. 毘沙門天
kg062-20080725_7030.jpg
kg063-20080725_7031.jpg
kg064-20080725_7036.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
kg065-20080725_6913.jpg
Kagurazaka Matsuri poster
tg424-20140101-0146.jpg
I was waiting for this. Sacred dances by shrine maidens who looked to be high school girls.
tg425-20140101-0151.jpg
In the morning and early afternoon of January 1 and 2, shrine maidens perform sacred dances (初神楽) on the Noh stage.
tg426-20140101-0153.jpg
tg427-20140101-0173.jpg
tg428-20140101-0177.jpg
tg429-20140101-0179.jpg
tg430-20140101-0183.jpg
tg431-20140101-0218.jpg
tg432-20140101-0243.jpg
tg433-20140101-0253.jpg
tg434-20140101-0257.jpg
tg435-20140101-0262.jpg
tg436-20140101-0280.jpg
tg437-20140101-0286.jpg
tg438-20140101-0293.jpg
tg439-20140101-0316.jpg
tg440-20140101-0321.jpg
tg441-20140101-0332.jpg
tg442-20140101-0344.jpg
tg443-20140101-0348.jpg
tg444-20140101-0349.jpg
Kaguraden stage where they performed sacred dances. They would dance on Jan. 1 and 2, in the morning and early afternoon.
tg445-20140101-0188.jpg
Most of the snow had melted.
tg446-20140101-0353.jpg
Amazake (sweet sake, non-alcoholic) for 300 yen/cup to warm you up.
tg447-20140101-0355.jpg
Preparing gallons upon gallons of amazake (sweet sake, non-alcoholic). 300 yen/cup.
   
182 files on 1 page(s)