Gagaku

Ancient traditional Japanese dance. Performed at Akama Shrine in Shimonoseki, Japan.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Japan
• dance
• traditional
• shimonoseki
• akama

[paramsaram]

Their performance is really good!

Very well skilled and sophisticated.

I think this's the best Gagaku per-

formance on the internet(it is so

difficult to play, require lots of

skills.)

You're so lucky to see it on live!

Did you take this video at Akama shrine

in Yamaguchi??, or Asama shrine in Shizu-

oka?? I like to visit there to see their performance,too. Wonderful!!!

[homsar06]

I took it in Akama Shrine in Shimonoseki, in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

[azsoen]

Simply wonderful! :-)

[bellchap]

oh mai gah that is soooo cool!

Gagaku is the most amazing music I've ever heard

[shoopwhoopX]

needs more Hyoshigi

[Grubbo]

@iffysam It's called a Sho.

[Chichiri520]

Awesome. Back in the Heian era, this was THE THING to listen to. Imagine now in Japan with its modern day popular music. Interesting how things shift over the centuries.

[iffysam]

What is the name of the instrument that produces the eerie, soft background sound?

[Diwonusoio]

Indeed, this is definitely not Etenraku. Besides, if my sources are right, Etenraku is played only kangen (instrumental) nowadays.

[d60944]

Forgive me, but I dont think this is Etenraku. I dont know what it is, but I do know the Etenraku melody well, and Etenraku is not a piece that it danced to.

[Momotaro88]

Very...interesting.

But I think it is not "ancient" or "traditional"

Song AND Dance can mean 3 things

a) Kagura (but Kagura has no Shô, no Gakusô and no Taiko)

b) Kuniburi Utamai (same instrumentation as Kagura)

c) The 詩-Part of a piece (but that then wouldn't use Shakubyoshi or Hikimono)

And the Beat starting at 0:50 is that of Ryoo- or Ama-Ranjo. Never heard anybody sing to it...

But then maybe it is just a different tradition...

[Momotaro88]

um. 越天楽? O_o don't think so...

the melody is totally different from any of the three Etenraku out there. There is one sung version, Etenraku Imayo but it has no dance.

[paramsaram]

Thanks, homsar06 for sharing this lovely performance! i learnt Shimonoseki has some special traditions in female Gagaku(Bugaku) dances. so this's a very interesting and special performance. you're so lucky to have seen it on live!!

[paramsaram]

yes, it's much refined actually.. it's said those original songs were readapted and refined for the japanese court since after brought from the continent. it's a kind of ancient music though, it's always changing gradually. it might used to be more spiritual and exciting those days. but dancers and players are more passinate recently, so the music will follow them, too.