Kagura Koshien in Akitakata

“Koshien” is the national high school baseball championship that has the entire nation transfixed during the summer school holidays. As the name suggests, this event features high schoolers from Hiroshima and other parts of the country performing the traditional art of Kagura dance.The event is held in one of the art form’s strongholds, the rural community of Akitakata, just outside Hiroshima city in the antique-styled Kagura Monzen Touji Mura village’s purpose built “Kagura Dome”.

This is a 2-day event and there are 9 performances each day from 9 different high schools. As well Geihoku Kagura from Hiroshima and Iwami Kagura from Shimane, it’s an opportunity to check out kagura styles from Tottori, Miyazaki, Iwate, Toyama and Shizuoka. A high school from Tokushima will also be performing the always crowd-pleasing Awa Odori on Sunday.

Things start at 9am and run through to mid afternoon.

Akitakata City is keen to spread the word about Kagura and Kagura Monzen Touji Mura, and is kindly offering free buses, departing from and returning to Hiroshima Station and Iwakuni Station, for foreign residents and visitors on the second day of the event (Sunday, July 28). All you need to do is pay the ¥1000 admission fee on arrival (no charge for under 18s) and perhaps bring some spare cash to spend on food, drinks and treats in the Kagura Monzen Mura village.

Bus Trip Details

Hiroshima Departure (12 places left as of July 20)
Date: Sunday, July 28
Departure point: Hiroshima Station North Entrance (Shinkansen/Mountain side)
Meeting time: 07:00-07:15
Departure time: 07:30 sharp
Register here　(registration deadline July 23)

Iwakuni Departure (2 places left as of July 20)
Date: Sunday, July 28
Departure point: Iwakuni Station West Entrance
Meeting time: 07:15
Departure time: 07:30 sharp
Register here　(registration deadline July 23)