Chakkirako Dedication

Chakkirako is a folk performing art that has traditionally been performed only by women and is a dance that is held every year on January 15th, the Little New Year, in the Nakazaki and Hanagure areas of Misaki, Miura City, and at Kainan Shrine to pray for good catches, good harvests, and prosperous business.

Chakkirako is sung by about 10 adult women and danced by about 20 girls between the ages of 5 and 12. The girls wear red formal attire, while the adult women wear black kimonos and haori coats. They use different dance fans and chakkirako (lower right photo, bamboo poles) depending on the performance, and there are no musical instruments. It is a simple song and dance with only the basic song and accompaniment. There are six types of dance: "Hatsuise", "Chakkirako", "Nihonodori", "Yosasa-bushi", "Kamakura-bushi", and "Oise Mairi".

On the day, a dance will be dedicated in front of the main shrine at around 10:00, and a dance will be dedicated in front of the main shrine building in the grounds of Kainan Shrine at around 10:30.
In the afternoon, they will perform a dance offering in front of the shrines of Nakazaki Dragon God and Hanagure Dragon Palace, and then go around giving blessings to old families and long-established shops.