Matsuri BiyoriCalendar of Japan's UNESCO-listed festivals
Scene from Oni Kenbai
Photo: Yoshi Canopus / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Furyu-odori
Calculated

Oni Kenbai

Japanese name: 鬼剣舞（おにけんばい）

Kitakami, Oshu and Hiraizumi, Iwate

2027

  • Fri, Aug 6 – Sun, Aug 8

    Kitakami Michinoku Performing Arts Festival (estimated)

  • Sat, Aug 7

    Oni Kenbai mass dance (estimated)

  • Tue, Aug 24

    Kawanishi Nenbutsu Kenbai (Chusonji segaki rite)

Check with the organizers or local government
ABOUT

About the festival

Oni Kenbai is a nenbutsu sword dance handed down in Kitakami, Oshu and other parts of Iwate. It takes its name from the wrathful masks the dancers wear. A form of nenbutsu dance meant to calm and send off the spirits of the dead, it was traditionally performed during Obon at the homes of the newly deceased, at graves and at temples. Written records confirm it was practiced by the 18th century, in the Edo period.

  • Dancers called ikamono, in wrathful masks topped with plumes such as rooster feathers

  • Dancing with fans, decorated aya-dake bamboo staffs and swords, to drum, flute and bell accompaniment

  • At Chusonji's segaki rite, the Kawanishi Nenbutsu Kenbai acts out guiding the spirits of the dead to rest

PHOTOS

Photos

Scene from Oni Kenbai
Photo: Yoshi Canopus / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
DETAILS

Key facts

Category
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Furyu-odori dances
Location
Kitakami, Oshu and Hiraizumi, Iwate
Main venue
Districts of Kitakami and Oshu; Chusonji temple in Hiraizumi
Getting there
Performances in Kitakami start from JR Kitakami Station; take a bus or taxi from the station to each venue.

Sources

This description was written by Matsuri Biyori based on public information. Dates and details may change. Please check the organizers' latest information before you go. Translated from the Japanese original.

FAQ

FAQ

When is Oni Kenbai held in 2027?
In 2027, it is scheduled for Fri, Aug 6 – Sun, Aug 8, Tue, Aug 24 (Calculated from the usual rule).
Where is Oni Kenbai held?
It is held in Kitakami, Oshu and Hiraizumi, Iwate. The main venue is Districts of Kitakami and Oshu; Chusonji temple in Hiraizumi.
How are the dates of Oni Kenbai set?
Traditionally danced at Obon at the homes of the newly deceased, at graves and at temples (varies by group). The main public occasion is the Kitakami Michinoku Performing Arts Festival (apparently the first Friday to Sunday of August). The Kawanishi Nenbutsu Kenbai is performed at Chusonji's segaki rite on August 24.