In the Iwate Prefecture Miyakoshi, a region in northeastern Japan where volcanic disasters occur frequently, a traditional ritual called "Kuromori Kagura (くろもりかぐら)" has been passed down for generations, praying for the safety and prosperity of the village. This Kuromori Kagura is a traditional performing art with a long history, said to have begun around the middle of the 1400s, about 700 years ago.

Kuromori Kagura originated at the Kuromori Shrine in the Yamaguchi area of Miyakoshi and is a traveling ritual that goes through nearby villages. Villages along the travel route have "Kagura houses" that guide the Kagura troupe and provide them with lodging and meals. Kagura is a ritual that prays for the safety and prosperity of the village, and the villagers greeted it with fervent devotion.

While a traditional ritual, Kuromori Kagura includes not only simple prayers but also various dance moves and stories derived from historical facts. Representative performances include "Ebisu-mai (えびすまい)," which prays for a bountiful harvest, and "Yamata no Orochi Taiji (やまたのおろちたいじ)," which drives away evil spirits. During the traveling period, performances are held from dawn until the next accommodation, with the ritual being performed with great care in each village.

However, due to modernization and aging, the ritual faced the risk of being discontinued in the 1970s. Young people left the village, leading to a shortage of Kagura performers, and there was even a period where the traveling was discontinued for six years. In response, in 1983, prominent individuals from the Kuromori area formed the "Kuromori Kagura Preservation Society" and worked hard to preserve the tradition.

Thanks to the efforts of the preservation society, Kuromori Kagura was designated as a National Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1987, and it continues to be performed in various villages throughout Iwate Prefecture. Every year around the New Year in January, a spirit-descent ceremony is held at the Kuromori Shrine, followed by a tour that alternates between northern and southern villages over a period of one to two months.

The preservation society, centered around elderly Kagura performers, is working tirelessly to pass on the tradition to younger generations. Kagura performers born in the 1970s and 1980s are working to nurture the next generation, but there are still no performers in their 40s. To address this manpower shortage, the preservation society is focusing on nurturing successors by holding events such as Kagura experience workshops for young people in the area.

Fortunately, neither the Kagura ritual nor the sacred implements were damaged during the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since then, the preservation society continues to perform activities, preserving tradition while adapting to the changing times, including conducting a traditional-style memorial service for the victims of the disaster.

A preservation society official stated, "Kuromori Kagura is a traditional culture that has been passed down through the devotion and efforts of the villagers over many years. It's not just a performance, but also closely related to the village community, so we must continue to pass it down." We hope that Kuromori Kagura will continue to be performed in the Iwate region for many years to come, with the support of the local residents.