On Saturday 5 July, from 7.30pm, I went to a firelit Noh performance at the Shiizaki Suwa Shrine near Shiizaki Onsen. The location is about 3 km from Ryotsu Port in the opposite direction from the Kanai direction, on a road commonly known as the South Line.

It was a few dozen steps on foot from the spa entrance to the shrine entrance. The area around the venue after 7pm was already filled with cars with visitors and passengers on the left side of the roadway, making it difficult to find a parking space. In the end, I decided to park at the end of the left-hand side of the roadway. There are several hotels for tourists in the vicinity. Guests were also walking towards the shrine to see the Noh play.

We entered the grounds of the shrine as if we were enjoying the leisurely evening cool at dusk on a holiday. After passing through the torii gate, a reception table was set up, where we paid the admission fee of 500 yen and received a pamphlet.

This time the play is called Miwa, about a woman wearing a Noh mask who enters a sacred tree, and after a while comes out transformed. Well, leaving aside the plot of the story, I am attracted to the musicality of Noh, and when it is unexpectedly rhythmical, I go "Oh! I'm like, "Oh, wow! The "Yo~" call made by the drummer is also unique. When I hear the slightly stilted 'yo', I am swept up in the unique atmosphere, which is a mixture of weird and funny.

Now, this is what the Noh stage looks like from the audience seats.

Well, a lot of people with cameras. I am one of them.

The first ceremony took place to receive the wood fire from the priestess. A fantastic atmosphere filled the hall.

A female actor wearing a mask appeared from the aisle to the left of the stage as seen from the audience.

Now, please watch the video as it will be easier to understand from this point on. The first part starts from the shrine entrance to the seats. The second part starts when the stage starts to come alive. The video is not on a tripod, so some shaky images may be a problem.

A divine spirit from a sacred tree. The very point of contact between reality and unreality.

At the end of the performance, the visitors go home.

Sado has culture. I thought so again this time.