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The , also called or with reference to the
The , also called or with reference to the bugaku
is a Japanese traditional dance that has been performed to select elites, mostly in the Japanese imperial court, for over twelve hundred years. In this way, it has been known only to the nobility, although after World War II, the dance was ope ...
traditional dance, is the building within a Shinto shrine
A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion.
Overview
Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings.
The ''honden''Also called (本殿, meanin ...
where the sacred dance (''kagura
is a type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The term is a contraction of the phrase , indicating the presence of gods () in the practice.
One major function of is , involving a procession-trance process. Usually a female shaman will perfor ...
'') and music are offered to the ''kami
are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
'' during ceremonies.MaidonoJAANUS
Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System, or JAANUS, is an online dictionary of Japanese architecture and art terms compiled by Dr. Mary Neighbour Parent. It contains approximately eight thousand entries. It is searchable in both English an ...
, accessed on July 12, 2010
It was originally just a temporary stage; first mentioned in a 9th-century text describing a ''maidono'' built in front of Hirano Shrine. In about a century, it had become a permanent shrine feature, and its use was extended until its function as a worship hall prevailed over the original. It is used also for weddings and Noh plays. Some scholars believe the '' heiden'', or hall of worship, has its origins in the ''kagura-den''.
References