Kagura
/ˈkɑː.ɡʊ.rə/noun
A traditional Japanese Shinto performance of music and dance offered to the gods.
Did you know?Kagura is tied to the myth of the sun goddess Amaterasu, whose return was coaxed by sacred performance, making it one of the clearest examples of art used as divine technology.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Japanese
Jpn
kagura
“sacred music and dance performed for the gods”
Heian Period
Jpn
kagura
“court and shrine ritual performances associated with Shinto worship”
Classical Japanese
Jpn
kagura
“ritual entertainment offered in religious ceremonies”
Modern English
Eng
kagura
“the Japanese Shinto ritual music and dance form”