令和捌年 切芝神事 “Kirishiba Shinto Ritual” at Shimogamo Shrine 2026

令和捌年　切芝神事

舞楽「東遊」の「駿河舞」奉納
Court Dance & Music "Azuma-asobi" Dedication, dancers perform the "Suruga-mai" dance

 

令和捌年（2026年）5月12日は京都府京都市左京区にある加茂御祖神社（通称 下鴨神社）に「切芝神事｣の撮影に行きました。京阪電鉄　出町柳駅から約徒歩5分　社叢林　糺の森を抜けた先に神社があります。

切芝神事は複数の神事で構成され毎年5月12日にご催行される御陰祭の一部です。

私は今回報道関係者として撮影許可をいただき専用の区画から撮影をさせていただきました。

下鴨神社公式ホームページから引用いたします。～比叡山山麓の御蔭山［みかげやま］には下鴨神社御祭神の荒御魂をお祀りする御蔭神社が鎮座しております。5月12日は御蔭神社にて新しく御神霊がお生まれになるとされており、この御神霊を本社へ迎える神事です。この祭は我が国最古の神幸列を残すものとされ、神馬上に御神霊を遷し、本社に迎える古代の信仰形態を今に伝える祭として有名です。 御蔭祭も複数の神事で構成されています。

～（中略）～下鴨本通りの北部にて御神霊は神馬上にお遷りになり、下鴨本通りを南下し、下鴨神社に至ります。御本殿へ進む途中、糺の森切芝にて神馬の前で神を讃える「東游（あずまあそび）」が優雅に奉奏されます。（切芝神事）。 その後、御本殿へと進まれた後、御神霊は下鴨神社の御神霊と一体となり、力を高められます。～（以下略）とあります。

糺の森の参道中ほどにある、少し広くなった場所が「切芝」と呼ばれており、ここは御蔭山から戻ったご神霊が、本殿に入る前に休息する場所とされています。

「切芝」の様子と神馬幄
View of "Kirishiba" and the sacred horse tent

報道関係者区画は切芝の南東側少し高くなった場所にありました。丁度左前方（北西側）に切芝全景がみえる位置でした。

午後3時30分ごろに行粧列が神社に到着し、列を整えた後に切芝に至りました。

祭行列参入の様子
View of festival parade visiting

午後4時から切芝神事が始まりました。

神馬
Sacred horse

様々な行列が参進し、最後に神馬に乗ったご神霊が神馬幄に入ります。神馬は頭を帳から出して神事を見守ります。

午後4時20分ごろから平安雅楽会による雅楽「東遊」の奉納が始まりました。

舞楽「東遊」の「駿河舞」奉納
Court Dance & Music "Azuma-asobi" Dedication, dancers perform the "Suruga-mai" dance

東遊の前半では、舞人は袍の両袖を通した正規の姿で「駿河舞（するがまい）」を舞います。その後、いったん退出して装束を整え、袍の右肩（右袖）を抜いた状態で、後半の「求子舞（もとめごのまい）」を舞います。この姿を「片肩袒（かたかたぬぎ）」と呼び、「袍（ほう）」の右袖を脱いで右肩を出す所作を指すそうです。

舞楽「東遊」の「求子舞」奉納
Court Dance & Music "Azuma-asobi" Dedication, dancers perform the "Motogo no Mai" dance

東遊においては、この右肩を袒ぐ所作が「求子舞」の軽やかでくつろいだ雰囲気や、天女の羽衣伝説を思わせる優雅さを引き立てる演出となっているそうです。

舞楽「東遊」はご神霊を讃えるためのもので「切芝の神馬帳から顔を出している神馬にみせることでご神霊にご覧いただいていること」を表しているそうです。

管絃「三大塩」奉納
Court music "Sandai en" Dedication

その後、午後4時40ごろから神馬帳の前で平安雅楽会による管絃「三台塩」が奉納されます。

祭行列退下の様子
View of festival parade exiting

神事が終了し、午後4時45分ごろ平安雅楽会を先頭にして行列が切芝から本殿に向かい移動しました。

神馬退下の様子
View of the sacred horse exiting

最後に神馬帳からご神霊を乗せた神馬が向かいました。

下鴨神社、祭り関係者、そして、参加者の皆様ありがとうございました。

 

撮影機材:

CANON EOS 5D Mark III、EOS R6

CANON EF16-35mm F4.0L IS USM、EF24-105mm F4.0L IS USM

編集ソフトウェア: Adwaa Silkypix Developer Studio Pro 11

 

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掲載内容の更新日2026年05月23日

 

“Kirishiba Shinto Ritual” at Shimogamo Shrine 2026

「切芝」の様子と神馬幄
View of "Kirishiba" and the sacred horse tent

 

It went to photograph of Kirishiba Shinto Ritual” to Shimogamo Shrine located at the Kyoto Prefecture Kyoto City Sakyo ward at the 12th May 2026, and that is located about 5 minutes from Keihan Railway Demachiyanagi station pass away Tadasu Forest. The Kirishiba Shinto Ritual is part of the Mikage Festival, and that consists of several rituals and is held annually on May 12th.

This time, as a member of the press, I was granted permission to photograph from a designated area.

The following is an excerpt from the official homepage. ～ Mikageyama at the foot of Mt. Hiei is where Mikage Shrine is located, where the Aramitama, the deity of Shimogamo Shrine, is enshrined. It is said that a new divine spirit will be born at Mikage Shrine on May 12th, and a Shinto ritual is held to welcome this divine spirit to the main shrine. This festival is said to be the oldest divine procession in Japan, and is famous as a festival that conveys the ancient form of faith in which the divine spirit is transferred to the main shrine on a sacred horse. The Mikage Festival is also made up of several Shinto rituals. ～(Omitted)～ The divine spirit is transferred to a sacred horse in the northern part of Shimogamo Hondori, and travels south along Shimogamo Hondori to Shimogamo Shrine. On the way to the main shrine, a song praising the god is performed in front of the sacred horse at Kirishiba in Tadasu no Mori Forest, accompanied by dancing (Kirishiba Shinto Ritual). After proceeding to the main shrine, the divine spirit becomes one with the Divine Shinto Spirit of Shimogamo Shrine, and its power is enhanced. ～ (The following omitted).

In the middle of the approach to the shrine in Tadasu no Mori Forest, there is a slightly wider area called "Kirishiba," which is believed to be a place where the divine Shinto Spirits, returning from Mount Mikage, rest before entering the main shrine.

The press area was located on a slightly elevated area southeast of Kirishiba and I could see all around of Kirishiba directly to the left and ahead (northwest).

The festival procession arrived at the shrine around 3:30 PM, and after aligning itself, proceeded to Kirishiba.

It started the Kirishiba Shinto Ritual at 4:00 PM.

祭行列参入の様子
View of festival parade visiting

Various festival processions arrive, and finally the Divine Shinto Spirit, riding a sacred horse, enters the sacred horse tent. The sacred horse watches the ritual with its head sticking out from the tent.

神馬
Sacred horse

The Heian Gagaku Association began their dedication of the court music and dance "Azuma-asobi" at around 4:20 p.m.

舞楽「東遊」の「駿河舞」奉納
Court Dance & Music "Azuma-asobi" Dedication, dancers perform the "Suruga-mai" dance

In the first half of” Azuma-asobi", the dancers perform the "Suruga-mai" dance in the formal style, with both sleeves of their robes in place. Afterward, the dancer briefly leaves the stage to adjust her attire, and then, with the right shoulder (right sleeve) of her robe removed, performs the second half of the "Motogo no Mai" dance. This style is called "katakatanugi" (one shoulder exposed), and it refers to the act of removing the right sleeve of the robe (ho) to expose the right shoulder. In "Azuma-asobi", this style of baring the right shoulder is said to enhance the light and relaxed atmosphere of the "Motomego-no-mai" dance, as well as the elegance reminiscent of the legend of the celestial maiden's robe.

舞楽「東遊」の「求子舞」奉納
Court Dance & Music "Azuma-asobi" Dedication, dancers perform the "Motogo no Mai" dance

The court music and dance "Azuma Asobi" is meant to praise the Divine Shinto Spirits, and it is said that "by showing the divine horses peeking out from the sacred horse enclosure in Kirishiba, the dance is being seen by the Divine Shinto Spirits."

管絃「三大塩」奉納
Court music "Sandai en" Dedication

Afterwards, at around 4:40 PM, the Heian Gagaku Association performed the court music "Sandaien" in front of the sacred horse tent.

祭行列退下の様子
View of festival parade exiting

After the Shinto ritual completed, at around 4:45 PM, the festival procession, led by the Heian Gagaku Association, moved from Kirishiba towards the main shrine. Finally, the sacred horse carrying the Divine Shinto Spirit departed from the sacred horse tent.

神馬退下の様子
View of the sacred horse exiting

I thank you for everyone of this festival.

 

Equipment: CANON EOS 5D Mark III, EOS R6

CANON EF16-35mm F4.0L IS USM, EF24-105mm F4.0L IS USM

Software: Adwaa Silkypix Developer Studio Pro 11

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This page was last modified: May 23, 2026.