On the second Sunday of most months, Kakumei-kan Hall Honkan inside Okayama Korakuen Garden stages Bicchu Kagura – a dramatic, story-driven form of sacred dance designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Two short performances are held, and watching costs nothing beyond garden admission.
THE PERFORMANCE
Bicchu Kagura comes from the Bicchu region west of Okayama, where it is traditionally danced through the night at autumn festivals. The garden performances distil that into an hour – myths retold through movement, masks and music by the Bicchu Kagura Preservation Society.
HOW TO ATTEND
Held in Kakumei-kan Hall Honkan inside Okayama Korakuen Garden. Viewing is free; standard garden admission applies. Two sittings, 11:00-12:00 and 13:00-14:00. The schedule follows the second Sunday of most months. You can check the dates on the garden's official website event calendar.
- Dates: Second Sunday of most months (see the garden's official event calendar)
- Time: 11:00-12:00 and 13:00-14:00
- Venue: Kakumei-kan Hall Honkan, Okayama Korakuen Garden, 1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama
- Admission: Free to watch (garden admission applies)
- Enquiries: Okayama Korakuen Garden +81 86-272-1148
- Access: About 25 min on foot from JR Okayama Station; or Korakuen Bus bound for Okayama Korakuen Garden; or a short tram ride to "Shiroshita"
- Official Info: okayama-korakuen.jp
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
Okayama Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle face each other across the Asahi River, an easy pair in a single visit. Okayama is a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Osaka and Hiroshima, which makes it a simple add-on to a wider western Japan route.
Source: Okayama Korakuen Garden | okayama-korakuen.jp #WestGoldenRoute #Okayama #Kagura #Korakuen #Nukumori