Lion Dance

The performance art that features a lion's head is called Shishimai, and it is common for two people to enter the cloth attached to the lion's head and dance. This can be widely seen at festivals such as Bon, New Year, and seasonal celebrations in spring and autumn.
In contrast, there is a form of Shishimai where one person wears the lion's head and dances, which has been passed down in the Tohoku and Kanto regions. In Kanto, a female lion and two male lions form a pair to dance, known as Sanbiki Shishimai (also referred to as Ichirizume Fūryū Shishi). Currently, there are 84 places in the city where Sanbiki Shishimai is performed, including those that are currently on hiatus, with many found particularly in the western areas such as Okutama Town, Ome City, Hibara Village, and Hachioji City.
Within the city, Sanbiki Shishimai has been passed down in four locations: Yanokuchi (Anazawa Tenjin Shrine), Higashi-Naganuma (Aoi Shrine), Momura (Tate Shrine), and Omaru (Oma Tomonozu Tenjin Shrine), but it is currently only performed in Yanokuchi and Higashi-Naganuma.

Aoi Shrine Lion Dance (City Designated Cultural Property)

The lion dance of Aoi Shrine in Higashi-Naganuma is dedicated every year on the day of the grand festival, October 1st. There are no remaining documents about its origin, but it was revived in 1937 after being suspended for 23 years since 1915. Ancient documents record an incident that occurred during the Aoi Shrine festival lion dance in the 4th year of the An'ei era (1775), suggesting that it dates back to this period. The lion dance consists of three lions: the large lion, the seeking lion, and the female lion. The large lion has sword-shaped horns, the seeking lion has twisted horns, and the female lion has no horns. All three have a jewel on their foreheads. These three lions are said to represent the gods of the Bushu Mitake, the guardian god of Aonuma, and the god of Oyamazaki in Sōshū. The tengu dancing with the lions wears a thick red sash, holding a fan in the right hand and a gourd in the left hand. The three lions and the tengu dance around a sumo ring created in front of the main shrine.

Anazawa Tenjin Shrine Lion Dance (City Designated Cultural Property)

The lion dance at Anazawa Tenjin Shrine in Yanokuchi is performed every year on the day of the grand festival, August 25th. There are no remaining documents about the origin of the lion dance, but it is believed to have started around the early to mid-Edo period, similar to the lion dance at Aoi Shrine. It was temporarily suspended in the 10th year of the Showa era, but it was revived in the late 20s and continues to this day. The lion dance consists of three lions: the great lion, the seeking lion, and the female lion, along with a Tengu, and it features a performance almost identical to that of the Aoi Shrine lion dance. On the day of the festival, a procession moves from the Yanokuchi Neighborhood Association Hall to the sumo ring in front of the main shrine of Anazawa Tenjin Shrine, and the sight of them climbing the stone steps of the shrine while performing is truly magnificent.
In both lion dances, in addition to the lions and Tengu, there are performers such as flute players, shell blowers, and singers who enhance the atmosphere. The lion dance performed in the shrine grounds as a prayer for abundant harvests, warding off evil, and rainmaking was not only a manifestation of the farmers' wishes but also a source of entertainment in an era with few leisure activities.